The Girl From Harvard
by shelivesfree
Summary: Absence makes the heart grow fonder. It also makes it grow more paranoid. Padme is in her last year of Harvard. Anakin has just started at the University of Chicago. Though they won't admit it, their long-distance relationship is taking it's heavy toll. Will their love prevail or will the distance prove too much for both of them? Sequel to The Boy Next Door. Modern AU.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I'm back! Welcome! Just a pre-warning before you start reading, this story is going to be WAY more explicit than The Boy Next Door. To put it bluntly, there's just going to be a lot more sex. I hope everyone is okay with that.**_

 _ **As to this story, if you haven't read The Boy Next Door, I suggest you do that. I mean, you don't have to, because this story might probably be able to stand alone, but if you want to read how these two beautiful characters got to this point, then feel free. This sequel is probably less angsty than it's predecessor, only because there aren't any dramatic reveals about Anakin's past. But that doesn't mean it won't be any less intense. My aim for this is to explore the fragility of their relationship in a very real and organic way. I honestly hope I do it justice.**_

 _ **This is set 5 months after The Boy Next Door.**_

 _ **So, without further ado, enjoy xx**_

* * *

" _Ani!_ Oh, yes, god, _oh!_ " Each thrust was rough and hard, and Anakin was _so deep_ inside her, hips churning madly as he fucked her with wild abandon, holding nothing back. It had been one month since they had last been together. One month too long, in Padme's opinion, and it had been absolute agony for the both of them. The Skype and phone conversations weren't enough to satisfy the burning _need_ that only the other could quench. So, when Anakin had practically ripped her clothes off her body as she entered his dorm room, thrown her roughly on the bed, aggressively mashing his mouth against her while he fiddled with the condom before surging deep inside her, Padme didn't complain.

How could she, when she had wanted this just as badly; needed to feel the heavy weight of his body against hers, his fingers digging into her hips as he took her, bringing her so close to the edge with each thrust of his hips, his cock dragging deliciously inside her, toeing the line between painful and perfect. It was so good, he felt _so, so good_ , and she tugged at a hunk of his hair to let him know how much she had craved this.

Anakin grunted against the skin of her neck, teeth scraping gently. "You." His hand traced the curve of her waist to grip behind her thigh, hoisting it over his shoulder. The depth of the new position made Padme cry out and she bit her lip, drawing blood, as she tried to keep quiet. Anakin had practically forced his roommate out of the room, but there were still students in the halls and although Anakin had no qualms about public displays of affection, Padme was much more conservative. At least, in public she was. Here with Anakin, she was a completely different woman. Wild, untamed, driven by the desire only he aroused in her. "You like this?" His voice was a rough growl, so gone with lust and Padme shuddered at the sound of it.

She licked her lips, the metallic taste of blood on her tongue, and nodded her head, eyes half-closed in pleasure. "Yeah, Ani." He dragged his lips in a wet path up her neck, reaching the corner of her mouth. He licked at it, teasing, before taking her bottom lip between his teeth and sucking. Padme arched her back as her sensitive nipples chafed against the hot skin of his chest. Anakin took this opportunity to lift her other leg around his shoulders, spearing into her and hitting a spot so wonderful inside her, making Padme's eyelids flutter. She crossed her ankles around his head, driving him harder, deeper inside her, the head of his dick stroking that spot again and again.

"Fuck," Anakin cursed against her lips, opening his eyes and staring at her with such an intensity that she almost couldn't handle it. Eyes hooded with lust, bright, intense, blue, _so_ hungry for her and her alone. She felt herself getting closer and closer to the precipice, dangling dangerously close to the edge and Anakin held her there in sure, powerful thrusts, not letting her reach her release until he was close. "Padme, you feel… so good – so. Just, and I. _Fuck_." His words were jumbled, as she clenched around him, encouraging his unintelligible babble. He tried, for her sake, to talk, to tell her how she felt, but he just couldn't. Padme liked that, liked hearing him struggle to form coherent sentences as he fucked her into oblivion. It made her feel _in charge_ , even though he was the one setting the pace.

"More. Harder, Ani, _harder._ " He obliged immediately, like always, because even though it had been a month and he knew he wouldn't last much longer, he still gave her everything she wanted, adhered to her every whim. He'd taken both of her hands in his now, pinning them above her head, restraining her from touching him, and it was so _hot_ that Padme felt her climax approaching at rapid speed. He drove her insane and she loved it.

"Close." It came out strained, the muscles in his neck tense and his jaw locked as he fixed his eyes on her, their foreheads together. One hand holding both her wrists, and while still keeping eye contact, he bent lower and sucked hard one of her nipples, biting down on the puckered peak. That was it. Padme was gone, with a shudder and a silent cry of " _Ani!_ " she fell apart around him. The cry of his name was enough for him, and Anakin found his release within seconds of her, strong hips snapping forward in one powerful thrust as he emptied himself, mouthing her name over and over.

Padme watched him come with awe. It was such a beautiful sight to witness, and her heart filled with affection, and even though she was still sensitive from her orgasm, her arousal spiked. Spent, Anakin collapsed on top of her, skin sweaty and hot and he was heavy, but she didn't care, because he was _hers_ and he was finally in her arms again, inside her again, and Padme had never known greater pleasure.

He made to pull out but she gripped his hair, "don't," and slapped him lightly on the shoulder. His chuckle reverberated through her entire body and he buried his nose into the junction between her shoulder and neck.

"I'm going to squash you," he told her, voice muffled under skin.

"I don't care," she retorted, stubbornly. "You feel… _god Ani_ , you feel so good. I've wanted this – waited. So long." It was difficult to speak when she was so short of breath and Anakin's body was crushing her ribs, but she refused to let him pull out. She'd waited for him for so long, an eternity of a month, and now that he was finally inside of her again, she never wanted him to leave.

He laughed again, pressing sweet, wet kisses to her neck, sucking her skin into his mouth, teasing it with the tip of his tongue and his teeth. One of his hands came up to trace the swell of her breast, thumb circling her areola before brushing delicately over her hardened nipple. "I'm going to squash you," he repeated again, his voice light with humour. "And then how am I supposed to tell that to the cops? How I suffocated my girlfriend because she refused to let me pull out?"

Padme chuckled softly and carded her fingers through Anakin's hair. He had such beautiful hair. "It wouldn't be a terrible way to go, really. There are worse ways to die," she said, rough with desire.

At that comment, Anakin shifted so that he was resting above her on his elbows, staring intently into her eyes. They danced with lust and love and complete adoration and she melted. "You're ridiculous."

She pouted, her bottom lip sticking out stubbornly. "It's your fault. _You_ created this monster. _You_ have to deal with the consequences. I can't get enough of you."

Anakin took her lip between his teeth, pulling it gently, before sucking on it, lulling her. Suddenly, he drove himself deeper inside her, surprising her because he wasn't soft, even though he had reached his climax. She gasped and dug her nails into his back, making him clench his teeth and hiss. He was so big and filled her so completely and she had never craved anything as much as Anakin.

"How?" she gasped. "How are you - ?" She hitched her legs around his lean waist, her heels pressing into his ass, forcing him to go deeper.

Anakin grinned, all lusty and sexy above her. "Always for you," he responded simply and Padme moaned into his mouth. _The things he did to her_. He kept a steady pace, a teasing pace, and normally Padme didn't mind drawing out their release, but she was past that point. She needed him now, and his torturously slow pace was pure agony.

She seized his hair in both hands, dragging his ear down to her needy mouth. Her lips traced the shell of his ear before biting his lobe. "I want to be on top." Anakin groaned, and it was the most erotic sound she had ever heard. With surprising skill, he flipped them over and Padme readjusted herself on top of him, her legs straddling his waist, hands pawing aimlessly at his lean torso as she sank heavily down on him. Needing friction on her clit, she leant forward, her small breasts swaying out from under her, and rocked up and down on him in deep, hard thrusts, swivelling her hips on her way down, overwhelmingly needy. The size of him, and the angle of this position made it hurt as she tried to accommodate him, but in such a good way that she threw her head back, exposing her pale neck. Anakin stroked her exposed skin with his hands, following the curve of her hips, watching her with misty eyes as she bounced on him before he came again, quicker than before, exploding forcefully with a loud moan.

Padme went to touch her clit, when Anakin stopped her hands, eying her seductively. "No." She frowned at him, about to scold him, craving her release so bad, wanting to come _so bad,_ when he merely winked at her and said, low and rough and _irresistibly sexy_ , "Let me."

Padme bit her lip as she watch his long fingers rub furious circles on her swollen clit, flicking and tugging and bringing her delightfully closer. His other hand was suddenly in her hair, forcing her down to his mouth and he thrust his tongue inside. The fall forward made her clit shove against his fingers and her to fall sharply around the length of him and she came, violently, her cries silenced by his dominating mouth. Her entire body shuddered and she slumped down on top of him, exhausted and deliciously spent. She placed trembling kisses to the underside of his jaw, kind of sloppy but also kind of sweet, because there was no way she was moving, stretching her neck up to actually meet his lips.

Anakin stroked her hair lovingly - gentle and soppy and tender. Padme grinned against his skin. He was wild in bed, so passionate and demanding and lost in _her_ that is was the most dangerous ride of her life, and she was merely holding on to him, trusting him, gone for him and the insane pleasure he brought her. But afterwards, when it was just them and their exhausted, sweaty bodies, he was a complete sap. His hands would always end up in her hair, or stroking her skin, like he couldn't get enough of her. Like he couldn't _not_ touch every inch of her.

"Angel," he said, a prelude to nothing, peppering sweet kisses to her hair. She could feel every rise and fall of his chest underneath her as she lay sprawled on top of him, legs in a tangle, Anakin growing soft inside her. It was pure bliss.

"Mmm," she mumbled into his neck, content to stay like that forever, pressed against the infuriatingly beautiful boy underneath her, watching the afternoon sun cast a golden glow over his sticky skin. "You don't have class do you?"

Anakin turned over, taking her hips and rolling her gently off him, laughing when she let out a squeak in protest. The loss of contact made her reach for him, blind and needy, but her searching hands found nothing but empty bed sheets. He was sitting up, the long, naked plane of back exposed to her, much to her delight. She watched the way the light danced across his skin, the way his muscles rippled as he reached for his phone, the way his shoulder blades moved with ease. God, he was so beautiful, and Padme grinned cheekily to herself. _He's mine._

"I've got class in fifteen minutes," he replied, reluctance evident in his voice, rough from the aftermath of sex.

Padme frowned and decided to move, taking his broad shoulders in her small hands and dragging him forcefully back down so he was lying next to her. "You're not going," she told him, pouting like a child. Anakin laughed at her, blue eyes gazing at her with such adoration she thought she might burst. She would never get used to the way he looked at her, like she was the only thing that mattered in the world. A hand came up to stroke her cheek, thumb rubbing against her kiss-swollen lips, before it slid down her slender neck, shoulders and came to rest on the dip of her waist.

"I never thought _you_ of all people would encourage me to skip class," he said with a smirk.

"You're not going," she insisted stubbornly. "You're staying right here. In this bed. With me. And we're never leaving. Not ever."

He was grinning and it was adorable and Padme couldn't help but kiss those soft, full lips of his, hitching a leg over his hip and rubbing her foot along the curve of his calf. He was just so kissable. Anakin laughed against her, completely ruining the moment, and she growled in frustration. Typical.

"Is this your way of persuading me to stay?" One eyebrow was raised, taunting her, eyes flashing with amusement.

"Is it working?"

His hands gripped her hips and pulled her flush against him, his soft cock pressing against her thigh, and kissed her, hard and soft at the same time, tongue playing with hers lazily as their lips fused together. She took that as a yes.

When they broke apart, as air supply was still of great importance, much to both their dismay, Padme blinked up at him. "Do you love me, Ani?"

"More than anything," he replied instantly, without even thinking, as though it was the most natural response in the world. It pleased her immensely, and her heart swelled with emotion, but she had a point to make, so she kept her gaze firm.

"Isn't our love more important than anything else?" She was using his own words against him and he smirked, shaking his head at her. One small, slender finger trailed down his chest, teasing his nipple before running down to his navel. Anakin's eyes were dark with lust.

"You really are a politician, twisting my words in your favour."

"Isn't it, though?" she asked again, pressing her chest against him and staring at him intently, knowing that he could never resist her. He was weak when it came to her and she loved exploiting that fact; because he did the same to her every moment he could. It was the way of their love, teasing and light-hearted one moment, passionate and consuming the next, all bound together by an unconditional love for each other that ran deeper than anything Padme had ever known.

"You know it is," he told her with an amused smirk. "But how come it's alright for you to go to class when I visit you, but it's not alright for me?"

Padme grinned slyly, running a pale, slender finger over the elegant curve of his bicep, keeping her eyes fixed on his. Her hand reached his and she laced their fingers together, before slowly drawing his hand towards where she was slick and wet and hot with need for him. Anakin's eyes darkened as he felt how much she wanted him.

"Because right now, I _want_ you Anakin, and you are going to give me what I want." She trembled when she felt his fingers brush against her folds, teasing, gentle and feather light. Her hips rocked forward automatically and she closed her eyes, whimpering. "Please, _oh please_ , Ani. I-I want you now…"

She was being selfish, a trait rarely attributed to the self-righteous Padme Naberrie, but Anakin had awakened this lustful, sensuous woman from the depths of her soul and when she was with him, she wanted nothing else but _him._

" _Fuck_ ," Anakin groaned darkly, "you're so – "

"Always for you," she teased, sounding desperate rather than flirtatious, but it made Anakin laugh all the same as she repeated his earlier statement.

" _Insatiable_."

He pressed a kiss to her lips, dragging them down her jaw to tend to her neck. She whimpered when he removed his fingers, making him grin against the valley between her small breasts. "You're cute when you're needy," he told her, hands gripping her hips and pulling her lower body closer to his. His tongue dipped into her navel as he continued his agonising descent towards her dripping sex. Settling comfortably between her legs, he looked back up at her, eyes dark and hungry and swimming with desire. Anakin gripped the back of her knee and kissed the side of it tenderly.

Padme was going crazy. He was avoiding the one area she wanted him to pay attention to, on purpose no doubt, because he enjoyed teasing her and winding her up so tightly that she would fall apart just by a single touch. His lips peppered sweet kisses up the inside of her leg, moving tantalising closer to her throbbing centre.

"Patience, angel," he told her, voice dark and rough with desire only for her. Padme shuddered at the sound of it. Soft lips found the crease between her hip and thigh, and he lingered there for a moment, his nose running over the top of her neatly trimmed pubic hair.

"Anakin, I swear to god…" she whined, pushing her hips up.

He had the nerve to shush her, before suddenly plunging a finger deep inside her, making her cry out and her toes curl. " _Cruel_ ," she managed to splutter, fists clenching in his bedsheets and Anakin added another finger, pumping them in and out of her at a slow, torturous pace, curling them and stroking her sensitive walls. Then, just as she thought the pleasure couldn't possibly get better, she felt his mouth on her swollen clit, gently lapping at the tight bud, coaxing her swiftly towards her approaching orgasm. He wrapped his plump lips around her clit and sucked harshly, deliciously and Padme arched her back, pressing herself further onto his eager tongue, coating his face with her arousal.

 _"Yes, Ani,_ " she praised him, not that he needed any more encouragement, because she knew he would never stop, not until she had completely fallen apart and her body was spent and sated. "More, _more_ , please, don't – " a sob racked through her as he sucked again, and she came violently with a high-pitched squeal. Anakin drank from her hungrily, savouring the taste of her as her thighs twitched from the power of her climax. Once she was limp, he crawled back on top of her, capturing her lips with his own. The taste of her own arousal was on his lips.

"Better?" he grinned against her, nipping her bottom lip with his teeth. She couldn't even respond; she was in complete bliss and the waves of ecstasy washed over her, lulling her into a relaxed state. Eventually, she found her words, muttering, "mmm," because that was all she could manage.

With one final kiss, a chaste one to the tip of her nose, Anakin lay down beside her and spooned against her side, one hand reaching up to cup a small plump breast. "I'm so fucking in love with you," he told her as his nose burrowed into her hair.

"Same," she responded, a gooey smile on her face. She loved how raw he was, how honestly he expressed his feelings for her. "I've missed this, Ani." One of her hands weaved back into his hair, her favourite place to rest her fingers, and massaged his scalp tenderly. "I've missed you."

He grinned. "I could tell."

Padme rolled her eyes. "I'm not just meaning the sex, Anakin," she scolded, playfully, because if she was being honest with herself, she had definitely missed the sex. "I mean just being here. With you. It's…"

Anakin brushed his lips against hers for the briefest moment, and when he pulled away, she chased his mouth, searching for those full lips. "Yeah," he agreed. They didn't need to complete sentences. They had always had a way of communicating in broken phrases, understanding completely what the other was saying without even truly speaking. "But the sex is pretty great, though." There he was, all cocky and arrogant and teasing again and Padme smacked him on the shoulder.

"You're unbelievable," she told him, in complete starry-eyed affection, and he stroked her sides gently, making her skin break out in goose-pimples.

"You love me." It wasn't a question. It was a completely accurate statement of fact. There was not a hint of arrogance to it. He was simply being honest. His honesty was one of the things she loved most about him.

"Yeah," she beamed at him, pulling him by his hair back to her needy mouth. "I love you. So much, Ani. So, _so much_ , it hurts, you know?" She muttered between kisses, hands snaking down his back, feeling his muscles move under her soft fingers.

"I hate it when we're apart," Anakin muttered into her mouth, hands tracing the contours of her waist, adorably possessive. "This is all I want Padme, all I will ever want." He sucked on her neck, biting her, marking her as his, and she didn't care that it would develop into a purplish-red bruise later and she would scold him for making her look like a whore, because it felt way, way too good. She wanted his hunger, his anger, his wild passion; craved it like water to a parched throat.

"You. Me. Us. Together," he hissed between nips and she encouraged him with a rough tug on his blond hair.

"Always, Ani," she whispered. "Always."

He captured her lips once more, devouring her, pouring his complete devotion into her very soul and she drank his passion eagerly from his tongue, massaging it with her own, letting him feel everything. Every emotion that ran through her body at his electrifying touch.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this," he confessed, slumping next to her. His breath was hot against the shell of her ear, almost wet. His strong arms were wrapped around her stomach, fingers digging into her side. "Every time we're back together, it gets harder for me to let you go."

She sighed, turning her head to kiss him on the forehead. "I know." The brief weekend visits were not enough, not nearly enough, for both of them. They both knew it was straining their relationship, pushing it to the limits, but they were far too in love, in too deep, to let it go. It was always worth it, for moments like this, and Padme wished that it could always just be exactly like this. But it couldn't. "I graduate in six months, Ani. Then… then we can figure things out. Together."

He smiled, running his thumb against her bottom lip, freeing it from her teeth. "Together," he agreed. "I won't go to class on one condition," he told her with a sly smirk, hand sliding down her neck to cover one breast again.

"Hmmm, and what's that?" she raised her eyebrows at him. Anakin's conditions were never fair. But she was at that point where she'd agree to anything just to be in his arms.

He grinned cheekily. "You go to a party with me tonight."

She stared at him in disbelief. "Really? A party, Anakin?" she frowned. "I'm too old for college parties. They're just full of wasted eighteen-year-olds having sex in the bushes and throwing up everywhere."

He laughed. "Speaking from experience?"

" _I_ never did such things," she retorted.

"Yeah, you've probably never done anything fun, either," he teased and she scowled at him. "Have you even _been_ to a party before?"

She knew she shouldn't react to his taunts, because he did it all the time. He enjoyed getting a rise out of her. But she couldn't help it. "Yes, I have," she argued.

Anakin raised his eyebrows, propping himself up on one elbow. "You sure they were parties and not poetry recitals?"

"You think I'm boring," she huffed, pouting at him, and he smirked before leaning in and capturing that stuck-out lip between his teeth, pulling on it gently.

"Never," he told her, though by the way he was smirking, she didn't entirely believe him.

She crossed her arms over her chest, turning defiant. "I can be _fun_ , Anakin," she insisted stubbornly. "I'll prove it to you, tonight! I can be _wild,_ if I want." The grin he gave her made her sigh, because, she realised that it was what he was wanting all along and she had fallen for the trap. "You just wanted me to say _yes_ that whole time, didn't you?" she muttered, narrowing her eyes at him. He simply grinned wider and she rolled her eyes. "Why can't you just ask a question like a normal person, Anakin?"

"There's no fun in that," he remarked, gripping her hips and pulling her on top of him so she was sitting on his chest. "Besides, you're stubborn."

"I don't like it when you tease me."

Anakin winked at her. "Yes, you do," he retorted, grinning darkly and she saw the lust evident in his eyes. He drew a finger down between her legs and she squirmed at his touch. "It turns you on."

She groaned in frustration, because he was so right, yet she was so annoyed at her body for betraying her when she was trying to make a point. "You're so – " but before she could get the words out he was hoisting her up and suddenly she sank down on his erection, the force of it taking her voice and breath away.

His hands stroked up and down her belly gently. "Don't worry, angel," he told her. "I'll make it up to you."

There was no chance Anakin was going to class for the rest of the day. Padme would make sure of that.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: I'm updating super quick because I'm going away for a bit and won't have an opportunity to write or update, and I don't want to keep you hanging! (I'm so considerate, aren't I?)**_

 _ **Behold, jealous!Padme. The main reason I'm writing this story is to convey Padme's deep feelings for Anakin, because the prequels were such a let down in that department. George, I'm sorry, but you didn't do a good job of convincing me that she loved him. Sure, she told him that, but she never really showed it. Not until the end of ROTS. That kind of 'tell-not-show' style of directing really irked me. (sorry, I'll stop ranting now).**_

 _ **Anyway, my point, is that I think Padme deserves to get jealous every once in a while. Deserves to lose her cool and go a little crazy. As you know, I like writing angst and intense scenes, and I actually really enjoyed writing this. I also love writing A/P dialogue, and I think it's cute that Anakin wants to do 'coupley things' with Padme.**_

 _ **I'm also trying to express how much the distance is affecting them... especially Padme.**_

 _ **Side note: Yes, I'm introducing some of the Jedi and Clones in this story. Meet Aayla Securra everyone.**_

 _ **Enjoy xx**_

* * *

"Why do you even want me to go this party, anyway?" Padme asked over the sound of running water while she washed her hair. Not that she was bothered – actually, she was a little annoyed because she hadn't packed anything to wear that was appropriate for a college party – but she didn't understand Anakin's motivation. Normally, when they visited each other, they spent all of their time together, making love, watching movies, ordering pizza, making love. It was a routine for them; a routine Padme enjoyed. All she wanted to do was spend time with him and him alone. Padme wanted Anakin all to herself. And now, at a party, he would be socialising with other people, his friends, and she would have to share. She didn't like that.

"I want you to meet my friends," he told her as he shaved at the sink. Padme had never understood why, he had such little facial hair as it was, but she couldn't complain. It left his skin smooth and she liked the feel of that underneath her fingers, her lips. "They're convinced you don't exist."

Laughing, Padme pulled back the shower curtain and stepped down, ruffling her hair with a towel. The sight before her made her pause, however, as she took in Anakin's delightfully naked skin with only a pair of loose fitting boxer shorts slung low around hips. His belly was pressed up against the sink, face narrowed in concentration as he dragged his razer along the sharp contours of his jaw, and even though his face was covered in shaving cream, she felt herself blush at the sight of him.

Without tearing his eyes away from the mirror, he grinned, "you're a perv."

She wet her lips subconsciously, squeezing out the bottom of her hair with the towel. "I don't really have a choice," she informed him, a mischievous lilt in her voice. Before she'd met him, she'd never dreamed she'd be so flirtatious and lusty and wanton. Anakin was addictive and she just couldn't help herself.

His eyes widened when he finally looked at her, face half-covered in cream, as he drank in the sight of her, naked before him and she saw the lust pooling in them, making her thighs tremble with anticipation. She knew what would happen next; he would growl, low in his throat, pin her against the wall so she couldn't move, and then he would devour her and she would be helpless against him, succumbing to his dominating mouth as he brought her pleasure yet again. It happened every time.

This time, however, something was different. His expression hardened somewhat, into firm defiance. "It's not going to work," he told her, smugly, cocking an eyebrow.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"You're trying to _seduce_ me," he shook his head, laughing in astonishment. "So that I get distracted and we don't go."

She frowned, "no, no that's not what I – "

"Why don't you want to go, Padme?" he interrupted, crossing his arms. "If you don't want to meet my friends, you could just say so."

Sighing, she wrapped the towel around her body and reached for her hairbrush, amidst the mess of Anakin's bathroom. Honestly, he was so messy. Every time she came to visit, he would have clothes strewn all over his bed, which was never made, shoes lying around haphazardly which presented a safety risk, especially when she wanted to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. And his bathroom was just as bad. She felt entirely sorry for his roommate. "It's not that, Ani," she said. "It's just…" she looked up at him, "I haven't seen you in a month. And I know – I know we've both been busy, with mid-terms and everything, but I – I just want to spend time with you and…" she pouted, "I don't want to share you."

His face lit up at her words and he burst out laughing, making her frown at him. " _Share_ me?" he shook his head at her.

"If all you want to do is make fun of me – " she began, but he swallowed her protests with his mouth, kissing her sweetly and she sighed against him.

Pulling back, he stroked her cheek. "You're adorable," he said, smiling down at her fondly. "And you don't ever have to worry about sharing me. I'm yours, remember?" He broke her resolve and she flashed him a sweet smile. "Besides," he continued brightly. "We need to get out more. We never do _anything_ together anymore, we just stay in our rooms and…"

"And you don't enjoy that?" she teased, grinning slyly at him. _This_ was what she loved about him; how carefree and easy and light he made her feel. It was like nothing else.

"No, I do," he insisted, seriously, "you know how much I like _that_. It's just – " he broke off and ran a hand through his hair, and the uncertainty that seeped from him worried her. He looked vulnerable all of a sudden, meek, naïve. This side of him was one she rarely saw. Yet she cherished it all the same. "We're a couple, Padme," he continued bravely. "We should do, y'know, _coupley things_." His hands came and rested on her shoulders, sliding up and down her arms gently as he gazed into her eyes, into her soul. "I want to take you out. I want to spoil you. I want to show you off."

Her heart surged with affection for him at his words. She had forgotten how sweet he truly was sometimes.

"I'm your boyfriend," he said. "And I want people to know that. This… what we do – " he paused and bit his lip, suddenly insecure and she encouraged him by taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. "I feel like your… like your _lover_ , Padme. Not your boyfriend."

And just like that, she suddenly understood. Anakin had told her of his past, of how he had never been in a relationship before. _It's always been physical – just physical. No emotions or. Just sex._ He'd done this before, the sex with no expectations, no deeper feelings, but it was clear he wanted something more, much more, with her. He loved her.

"Oh, Ani," she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him sweetly. "I love you. You know I love you." She felt entirely undeserving of his affection for her. "I promise, _I promise_ we'll go out more, alright?"

The insecurity was gone and the light returned to his eyes again. Under all of his self-assurance, he was so insecure. It endearing, but it always made Padme worried. Was she not showing him enough affection? Was she not proving her love to him? He proved it to her every day, even when they were apart. It was no grand gestures, but just simple words, asking about her day, inquiring about Harvard, telling her he missed her. What did she give him in return?

"Thank you," he smiled and their lips met once again in a kiss. When they broke away, both their cheeks were flushed and he grinned sheepishly at her, his eyes so full of adoration for her that she, once again, felt unworthy. Then, suddenly, he was laughing and his thumb came up to swipe across her chin and mouth. It pulled away, covered in shaving cream, and her eyes widened as she hurried checked herself over in the mirror. The bottom half of her face was smeared with it and she groaned, " _Anakin_ ," and she wiped it away with a tissue.

She left Anakin to his grooming and went back out to her bag, searching through her belongings for her favourite, black jeans. They were the only ones she had packed, and they would have to do, because she didn't have anything else other than her pyjamas and a sundress. It would be far too cold to wear a sundress. To her surprise, she realised she had brought her jacket with her and she released a sigh of relief. Luckily, she was the type of girl to be over-prepared.

Once dressed, she took out her makeup, just as Anakin was leaving the bathroom, and he stopped at the sight of her. "Wow."

His expression made her shake her head at him. "They're just jeans, Ani," she told him while he gazed at her as though she was in lingerie.

"No," he shook his head, "they're not jeans. They're…" he crossed the room in two strides, pulling her against him, his hands cupping her backside and she rolled her eyes at him. " _Sinful,_ " he growled into her ear, sliding his lips along it down to suck the lobe into his mouth.

"W-what was that about getting… _distracted_?" she managed to utter as he ravaged her in the most delicious way and her thoughts became clouded. He simply hummed against her throat until she eventually conjured the will to step out of his arms, making him pout at her like a child. "Go and get dressed, I won't be long."

She could feel his gaze following her, burning into her skin. "What are you doing?"

As she applied her foundation, she could hear him cursing as he tripped over his belongings, searching for a clean tshirt and she smiled fondly, laughter escaping her lips. "I'm making myself look pretty," she responded. "We're actually going out in public. I should make an effort."

"You always look pretty," he told her honestly and her entire body warmed.

"You're biased."

There was silence, the distinct sound of a zipper could be heard, and then he appeared behind her, fully dressed, reaching up for his cologne in the medicine cabinet. His elbow nudged her, causing her to smudge her eyeliner and she glowered at him. "Sorry," he muttered, hands up in surrender and she clicked her tongue, turning back towards the mirror. The intoxicating scent of his cologne suddenly filled the air and her demeanour softened. Stretching up on her toes, she kissed his cheek lightly and took his hand, pulling him out.

"Right, I'm ready. Let's go."

It was dark and the air was cool by the time they pulled up. It was , what Padme referred to, as barely contained chaos. As predicted, there were already wasted eighteen year olds making out in the bushes, but Padme averted her eyes. She felt _old_. This was definitely not her scene. But Anakin had been adamant. Sometimes, she forgot that he was only twenty. She didn't want to be the one to drag him down and miss out on his youth. That wasn't fair.

Besides, Padme had a point to prove. She wanted to show Anakin that she could be _fun_ every once in a while. But, in order to have said fun, she needed a drink. Something strong. There was no way she could do this without alcohol.

Anakin kept his hand around her waist as they walked inside – was it a frat house? Or just someone he knew? – pulling her into his side, protective. There were so many people that it made it difficult to walk without having to sidestep or bump shoulders with drunk strangers. Every time they did, Anakin gripped her waist tighter, and she smiled. They passed a group of girls, scantily dressed and drinking from red, plastic cups, and they eyed Anakin hungrily as he passed. Padme scowled. No one was allowed look at Anakin like that. _Mine._ Daring and alarmingly possessive, she slipped a hand into his back pocket. The action surprised him, and he glanced down at her with a questioning glance and she merely kissed his lips quickly, letting everyone know exactly who he belonged to. _He's mine._

"Do you want a drink?" he asked her when they had navigated into a less crowded part of the house.

She nodded. "Something strong," she told him, and while he looked surprised at her sudden request, he nodded his head and kissed her cheek.

"I'll be back."

While he was gone, she decided to go and find the bathroom. It was easy to find; there was a large line of girls leading to the front door, looking bored, some looking green, and she shook her head. She remembered those days, just turned eighteen, and throwing up after three drinks. Of course, that had been quite some time ago, and again, Padme felt a pang of distress as she realised how old she actually was. Anakin never made her feel old. In fact, it was like he didn't even know it. But, being here, amongst all these people so much younger than her, she realised with a start that she _was_ old. Would that be a problem later? Would Anakin grow tired of her and want someone younger? Closer to his age. _Fun?_ The thought troubled her more than she cared to admit as she waited in line.

It took almost ten minutes before she went to find Anakin, cursing herself that she didn't tell him where she was going. Even though he was very tall, she was short and that made it difficult to find anyone. Then, she heard the sound of his laughter, and followed it. The sight before her made her scowl.

Anakin, standing with an unknown girl, _laughing_. And not just any laughter. _Hysterical laughter._

Her blood boiled with jealousy. Padme didn't think of herself as a violent person - maybe it was just because the girl standing with Anakin was beautiful and exotic and voluptuous, or because she had her arm around him while they laughed - but either way, Padme felt a sudden urge to punch the girl in the face for even thinking about touching _her_ Anakin.

These sudden feelings overwhelmed her, and she knew she was being ridiculous – Anakin would never think of leaving her – but memories of seeing Clovis in the exact same position flooded her vision and clouded her thoughts. With fierce determination, she strode right up to him, and the girl paused mid-laughter, staring at her, while Anakin beamed at her presence, his arm finding its way back around her waist.

"I thought you'd gotten lost," he said, pressing a kiss to her temple, but she didn't return it, or even acknowledge him. She kept staring at the girl. She was so sexy _,_ large brown eyes, smooth olive skin, luscious dark hair that spilled over her shoulders and down her back. And her _curves_ , Padme noticed, glowering. It wasn't fair for someone to look so perfect. That green-eyed monster surfaced and overwhelmed her and suddenly, she was no longer in control of her emotions.

"You didn't seem too worried about me," she snapped a response, and Anakin stiffened beside her, raising his eyebrows.

"So," the girl laughed, breaking the ice and smiling down at her. "This must be that famous Harvard girlfriend of yours, Skywalker," she said, voice low and husky with a slightly foreign accent to it, which only heightening her appeal, much to Padme's annoyance.

Anakin grinned at her, "This is Aayla Securra," he told Padme. "She's in my class. This is Padme." The way he said her name, so full of pride and love, softened her fierce demeanour a little, but she still continued to scrutinise Aayla with narrowed eyes.

Aayla beamed at her, showing perfect, white teeth, and held out her hand. "It's so nice to finally meet you," she said. "Anakin never stops talking about you."

Padme glanced at the perfectly manicured hand outstretched in front of her, but didn't take it. She knew she was being rude, but she didn't care. That hand had rested on Anakin's arm. Only Padme was allowed to do that. "Funny," she remarked with an uncharacteristic snarl. "He's never mentioned you."

Aayla seemed taken aback by her short response, and the air grew uncomfortable between them. "Uh, I think I see Kit over there. I'll… I'll catch you later, Skywalker," she said, awkwardly, before disappearing into the crowd. _Good_ , Padme thought bitterly, though a part of her was extremely concerned by her sudden aggression towards Aayla. Where was all of this coming from?

Anakin gripped her forearm and dragged her out outside, away from the crowd and behind the shed. Once they were alone, he released her arm and frowned at her. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked, incredulous and angry, though he kept his voice low so that no one would hear.

Padme turned her head away from him, crossing her arms and pouting. "Nothing," she snapped. "I don't want to talk about it, Anakin." She couldn't quiet explain what had happened. All of a sudden she had snapped and this new, aggressive side of her had been released. She went to walk away but he blocked her with his body, his face determined.

"No. We are going to talk about it. Whether you want to or not."

She glowered at him. "You don't own me, Anakin. You can't tell me what I can and cannot do." The words were coming out full of venom, almost as if she couldn't control herself. She didn't want to be angry at him, but she was. Some part of her _was_ angry at him, very angry, yet she didn't know why. Why was she acting like this?

"What's gotten into you?" he demanded. "Is it that time of the month or something?"

That was it. She snapped her head up, fuming, nostrils flaring. How dare he suggest something like that? Her hands clenched into fists, bottom lip trembled, as she growled, " _what_ did you just say to me?"

Immediately, he knew he had done something wrong, and his eyes pleaded with her, hands reaching out, " _fuck_ , I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that – "

" – how _dare_ you, Anakin," she spat, shaking with rage. When had she lost control of her emotions like this? Why was this happening?

" _Padme_ ," he reached out and gripped her shoulders, staring into her eyes, so serious and sincere but she was beyond care. "I shouldn't have said that. It was rude. I'm sorry. But…" he broke off and rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly. "You're acting… you're acting _crazy,_ right now."

"Crazy?" She had given up trying to keep quiet. Her control had been lost moments ago and now she was releasing everything, her anger, her jealousy, her _insecurities_. It all came exploding out of her and she couldn't stop it, like a volcano that had been dormant for far too long. "Thanks, Anakin. Thanks for once again proving you're a misogynistic _asshole._ "

His eyes widened and he held his hands up in surrendered, clearly taken aback by her sudden aggression. "Woah! Where is this coming from?" he asked, pleading, alarmed, clearly upset. "What did I do, Padme? Tell me. What did I do to – to make you this upset?"

She could sense his distress and she felt bad for him, because she was being very unreasonable, but she couldn't stop now. "You really don't know?" she hissed. He stared at her, dumbfounded, clearly trying to figure out why she was so angry. He was biting his bottom lip, but Padme didn't stop there. "How come you've never told me about _her_ before?" she demanded.

Anakin frowned in confusion, running a hand through his hair. "You've never wanted to know _anything_ about my friends," he replied.

"That's not true," she hissed, but he locked his jaw. She could tell he was trying to restrain himself, control his anger, but he was just as unstable as she was and his resolve was failing him.

"Yes it is. We've been together five months, Padme. _Five months._ And this is the first time you've agreed to meet any of my friends." He sighed and rubbed his temples, but Padme stood her ground, crossing her arms, lips pursed, eyes narrowed. "I thought you'd like Aayla," he muttered. "She's nice, I thought you'd get on with her."

"Yeah," Padme drawled sarcastically. "I can see how _nice_ you think she is."

"What are you talking about?" his eyes were swimming with confusion but that only made Padme angrier. Like he didn't know?

She rolled her eyes. "Like you haven't noticed." When he simply blinked at her, expression blank, she continued, "how _attractive_ she is."

Understanding flashed across his face and he rubbed the back of his neck again, heaving a deep sigh. "Aayla? Well, yeah, I suppose. What does that have to do with anything?"

Padme groaned. "Don't play dumb with me, Anakin. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

They stared at each other, both set in a fierce resolve for several minutes, until Anakin sighed, head in his hands. "I can't believe this. You're jealous. _That's_ what this is all about, isn't it? You're _jealous_." He was incredulous, and a laugh stumbled out of him, a wild, bewildered sort of laugh and then suddenly, he seized her, his mouth crushing against hers fiercely, aggressively and she returned it, kissing him violently, biting his lips, making them red and raw and she felt the taste of his blood on her tongue, but she didn't care, because all of her frustration and anger and jealousy poured out of her into him. She needed this. When they pulled away, they both heaved with deep breaths and Anakin shook his head at her.

"I thought I was meant to be the jealous one," he laughed.

She pouted at him. "I'm not allowed to be jealous?" she demanded.

He grinned. "No. I'm the one who's supposed to be emotionally unstable. You're meant to have your head screwed on."

She stared deep into his eyes. "I do. Mostly. Just – not when I'm with you. You make me feel…" He kissed her again, sweeping his tongue into her mouth and she forgot what she was going to say, the point she was trying to make. It was all too overwhelming and she began to cry. "I-I'm sorry," she spluttered against him. "God, I'm so, _so_ , sorry, Ani. I don't know what – I just… lost control and I – I couldn't – I'll go apologise to her... I promise. I'll never do this - again - "

He stroked her cheek gently, looking a little bemused. "You have absolutely _nothing_ to be jealous of." She laughed thickly, shaking her head at how ridiculous she had been. She was so embarrassed that she couldn't even look at him. She felt sick. But Anakin just held her to his chest, stroking her hair. "How I could I possibly want anyone but you?"

Padme stifled a sob against his shirt, muttering, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I love you, I love you" over and over again until, eventually, she had calmed down. Anakin pressed his lips lightly against her forehead and smiled. "Are you alright, now?" She nodded, giving him a watery smile. "Good." He took her hand and they went back inside. "I think we both need a drink after that."


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: If you haven't guessed by now, I'm trying to highlight some of the cracks in their relationship. The distance is taking it's toll on both of them, and Padme especially, is becoming more and more paranoid that Anakin will get bored of her. The age difference between the two of them is finally hitting home - for Padme anyway, and I wanted to express this, because it is a big part of their relationship.**_

 _ **Being apart only makes their desire and passion for each other so, so much more intense, and when they finally get together, it's just an explosion of pent up lust.**_ _ **I enjoy writing moments like this. As I've said before, I really love writing Padme and Anakin dialogue. Their relationship and the way they interact with each other is so intriguing to me. They tease and then they argue and then they get serious.**_

 _ **Anakin is such a sweetheart oh my god.**_

 _ **I hope you enjoy this chapter. I feel like it's high time Anakin took care of Padme for once.**_

* * *

With her insecurities somewhat soothed, Padme actually managed to enjoy herself. Or, maybe it was just because she'd had several shots of vodka. Either way, she was feeling more at ease. The more of Anakin's friends she met, the more she regretted not meeting them earlier. They were actually really nice, even though half of them were even younger than Anakin; Kit Fisto, a relaxed, laid back guy with light brown hair set in dreadlocks, Rex and Cody, twin exchange students from Australia with a habit of saying _mate_ and _s'truth_ – which Padme didn't quite understand, Luminara Unduli, a quiet Iranian girl who had a wise, philosophical air about her that reminded Padme of Obi-wan.

Yet, despite everything, a voice of concern arose within her, nudging at her conscience. It was all too familiar. She'd done it all before, when she was a freshman. And it had been great, back then, when she was eighteen, nineteen, twenty. But she was past all of that now. She was older. Her version of a good time was a lot more relaxed, going out to bars or grabbing coffee. Adult things. Grown-up things. It made her feel _old_.

She couldn't say anything, especially to Anakin, because it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to hold him back from experiencing things like this, enjoying college life while he still could. If she told him how she really felt, he would constantly worry about whether she was having a good time, fretting about her, and he wouldn't enjoy himself. His selflessness when it came to her was unparalleled.

The guilt was eating her alive. She didn't want to feel this way. But she couldn't help it. Only now was she realising the age difference between the two of them. Of course, she had always known he was younger, she'd known that since she'd seen him again that summer. But, it had never really hit home. It had never been seen as a problem. Until now. _You're just being paranoid,_ she told herself. _You're just overcomplicating things, as usual._

To quell her anxiety, she just drank more. Not a smart decision, of course, but for once, Padme didn't want to be smart. She wanted to let go of all the tension. She hadn't realised how much this distance between her and Anakin was straining her emotions, but her outbreak earlier made that perfectly clear. It was making her crazy, possessive. The longer they were apart, the more she craved him.

Aayla Securra followed her when she went to get another beer, sitting beside her as she watched Anakin, Rex, Cody and Kit playing pool – honestly, whoever owned this house was incredibly privileged. "You alright?" she asked, resting her cup on her knees and glancing at Padme with large, dark eyes. "That's, like, your sixth in an hour."

Padme glanced down at her drink, eyes widening in mild surprise. "I hadn't even noticed," she admitted. Her brain was feeling fuzzy and she'd lost count of how much she had actually drank, only that it wasn't enough. Aayla nodded awkwardly and took a sip, making Padme feel guilty. She was only trying to be nice, and Padme had been rude to her, twice.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Aayla" she said timidly. "About before. I – I was rude." She felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Strangely, Aayla simply laughed good-naturedly. "It's alright. I can understand. You saw a girl with your man. You got jealous," she sighed, shaking her head. "We've all been there before, honey, trust me."

Padme laughed softly. "Still, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," she apologised sincerely. "I'm not usually like that."

Before Aayla could reply, Anakin let out a roar of triumph and slapped Rex on the back, both cheering loudly. As the two celebrated in front of a sullen Cody and Kit, Anakin glanced at her, asking for her praise, a wild grin on his face and she beamed back at him, laughing at his expression.

"You have nothing to worry about," Aayla continued with a smirk. "Seriously, Anakin talks about you so much. It's really annoying, actually."

Padme warmed at her words, eyes still trained on Anakin, and felt her cheeks flush with affection. Of course he had. He had never been shy in expressing his devotion to her. He told her every day, in various different ways, yet it was always the same. _I love you, I love you, I love you_. There was no reason for her to be jealous at all; it had been pathetic and she was so, so embarrassed by how she had reacted. How could she possibly doubt him? He belonged to her as surely and completely as she belonged to him.

"How long have you two been together?"

"Five months," she replied, happily. _Five agonisingly beautiful months._ "But, we've known each other a lot longer than that."

Aayla nodded. "What's long-distance like?"

Sighing, Padme ran her fingertip along the rim of her cup. It was difficult to explain. Of course, she didn't regret being with Anakin at all. Distance was unavoidable, and they made it work. But, that didn't mean it hurt any less. "Honestly? It's... _hard_ ," she admitted miserably. "I mean, it's always worth it, _always_ – for the moments we get to be together, but…"

Aayla hummed, shaking her head. "I don't know how you do it," she marvelled. "I think it would kill me."

Padme laughed at that. "Are you in a relationship?" she asked, merely curious. The way Aayla's eyes drifted over to where Kit was standing didn't escape her notice, but she didn't say anything. It was not for her to pry into a strangers' love life. She wasn't like her sister, in that respect, at least.

"It's… complicated," Aayla muttered eventually. She didn't say anymore and Padme left it at that. She didn't want this girl to think her any ruder than she probably already did. "The sex would be pretty wild though, right? When you get back together?" The sudden, very personal question, made Padme blush and she bit her lip, swallowing the lump in her throat. She didn't know what to say to that. Padme was very conservative about her relationship with Anakin in public. But she couldn't deny the truth… it _was_ wild. The separation only made their yearning for each other more intense, so that when they were finally together, it was an explosion of passion and pent-up lust. She squirmed uncomfortably in her seat as she felt her core flush with heat.

Sensing her discomfort, Aayla smiled at her sheepishly. "Sorry, that was pretty personal. I tend to lose my filter when I drink."

Before she could respond, Anakin approached them, and she'd never been more grateful for his presence. He stood in front of Padme, arms crossed, eyebrows raised, a devilish smirk on his face. "Securra, you'd better not be telling Padme about what I _actually_ get up to in class?" he warned her, grinning slyly.

"Of course not, Skywalker," Aayla winked. "We wouldn't want your precious _Harvard_ girlfriend to know you sleep in class. What would she think of you then?" she feigned shock, clutching her hand to her chest.

Anakin's annoyed expression made Padme snort with laughter, and Aayla winked at her, before standing up and heading over to Kit, bumping Anakin in the shoulder as she passed. He cursed after her, and she flipped him off casually, before he sat down next to Padme, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Don't listen to her, angel," he grinned. "She's full of lies, that one."

Padme rolled her eyes. "Sure, Ani," she retorted, playfully.

Anakin placed his hand on her knee, squeezing it gently. "I'm glad you're not yelling at her now."

"She's nice."

"Not as nice as you." He pulled her, none-too-gracefully, onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. She sighed into his embrace, content. Never did she feel more at home than when Anakin's arms were around her. Smiling, she turned her head to kiss him, when he sniffed and screwed up his nose. "You smell like beer," he informed her, rather formally, as though it was his civic duty to point that out.

Pouting at him, she frowned. "Like you can talk." If anything, he'd drunk just as much as her. No doubt he smelt just as badly too.

Though he kept a poker face, his eyes flashed dangerously and Padme grew aroused at the sight of it. "You probably taste like it too." The way he teased her, flirted with her, causing her to react exactly the way he knew she would. He was far, far too perceptive. He could read her so easily.

She returned his darkened gaze, smirking at him. "Do you want to find out?" she teased, voice low and seductive and he growled, "do I ever," claiming her, tongue licking deep into her mouth and she moaned into it. Normally, she would never have done such a thing surrounded by a crowd of people, but the alcohol had muffled her common sense and rationality and all she could think about was Anakin, his lips, his hands, his body. They stayed that way, lip-locked and oblivious, until Aayla whistled rather loudly, calling out for them to ' _get a room before I barf'._

Padme blushed deeply as they broke away, but Anakin simply looked smug and incredibly pleased with himself. Despite his complicated past, he was a very simple man to please. All he seemed to need was her love, her affection, to know that he was all she'd ever need. And she could never deny him that, the one thing that was so certain and clear in her mind. It was easy to love Anakin. As natural as breathing.

The night wore on, Padme drank more and more, and somehow was convinced to play beer pong with Anakin. They were teamed up against Cody and Rex, and Padme was so drunk by this point that she could hardly see straight. She hadn't played beer pong since she was twenty-one, and for good reason. It was lethal and caught up to her all at once. Apparently, they won, but Padme didn't take much notice, because the world was spinning and suddenly there was two of everything. Her head was pounding, and she felt incredibly dizzy and extremely nauseous.

Anakin was holding her firmly by the shoulders, trying to steady her. "Woah, Padme. Are you alright?" he asked her, full of concern.

She blinked up at him, surprised when she saw his face appearing twice before her eyes, side by side and blurry around the edges. She giggled and swayed on the spot. "Ani… there's two of you."

" _Fuck_ ," she heard him mutter, before he put his arm around her waist and one of hers over his shoulder, supporting her. "Come on, I'm taking you back."

She stumbled, blindly, tripping over her own feet and laughing at nothing and everything, euphoria washing over her and leaving her body numb. But soon, that euphoria faded and was replaced by sickening nausea, and suddenly she was bent over the bushes, hurling her guts up while Anakin held her hair and rubbed her back, soothing her with kind words that she couldn't understand. It was awful and the bile burned an acidic path up her throat and she began to cry at the horrible sensation while Anakin wrapped her protectively against him, smoothing out her hair.

She didn't remember how they got back home, but suddenly, she was sitting on the floor of the shower, naked, while cold water rained down on her. Closing her eyes, she screwed up her face, trying to stop her head from spinning but it only made it worse. That was the last thing she remembered.

The light was blinding when she eventually opened her eyes, and she groaned, squeezing them shut again and wriggled further underneath the covers, not at all prepared for daylight. A soft chuckle rumbled beside her and she snuggled closer to it's source, finding warm skin and lean muscle. _Anakin_. With a silly smile, she curled herself into him, whatever part of him she could find, crushing her face into him and squishing her nose. Gentle fingers traced up and down her arm, leaving goose-pimples and she only clutched him tighter.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," she could feel his deep, beautiful voice, light with amusement, vibrate through him and sighed happily at the sound of it. She adored his voice; it conjured up feelings inside her that she couldn't quite explain. She loved how it could be dark and dangerous when he was flirting with her, or gentle and sweet when he told her he loved her, or rough and hoarse when he cried out her name as he came inside her. It was her favourite sound in the world.

"Mmmm," she mumbled into his chest and she felt him shake with laughter again.

"How are you feeling?" She responded with a groan. "That bad, huh?"

Padme frowned against his skin. "Anakin," she managed to growl, though it required more effort than she was ready for. "No talking. _Sleeping_."

He laughed again, such a gorgeous _free_ sound, but it was full of mockery. Of course, he was finding the whole thing incredibly hilarious and if she had the strength, or the will, she would have hit him. Instead, she simply dug her nails into his skin as a warning.

Then, because he was cruel and enjoyed tormenting her, he continued conversing with her, his voice unnecessarily loud and annoying in her ear. "Y'know, I was expecting a hero's reward after having to take care of you last night," he was saying, all bravado and wounded ego. "I mean, first I had to hold your hair while you emptied the contents of your stomach. _Everywhere,_ might I add. _Then,_ I had to get you out of your clothes and sit you down in the shower, which was difficult because you couldn't sit up straight. And _then_ , I had to dry you off, while you were passed out, and put you in bed. And you can't even say good morning."

He finished his monologue with a dramatic, wounded air, grinning down at her, and she'd had enough. Growling and cursing, she finally opened her eyes, squinting up at him in irritation, and hissed, " _good morning, Anakin_."

He rewarded her with a sweet kiss to the top of her hair. "There you go. That wasn't so hard now, was it?"

"I hate you."

"No, you don't," he said, all self-assured and completely confident. She hummed, partially annoyed, partially amused, because he was right. She didn't hate him. Not at all. He was annoying and childish and irritating, but she loved that about him, just as she loved everything else. "Are you going to get up anytime soon, angel?" he asked, using his favourite nickname for her, knowing it would melt her resolve. "I want to take you out for breakfast."

She groaned at the thought of having to leave the bed. " _Why_ , Ani?" she whined, shaking her head adamantly against him.

"Because," he explained, taking her face in his hands and forcing her to look up at him. The light in his eyes was almost as blinding as the morning sun, but she definitely liked this view better. "You look like you need four cups of coffee and lots of grease."

She couldn't help but grin at that, and her stomach rumbled in response to the word _coffee._ "You sure know the way to a girl's heart, Ani," she told him.

He bent and brushed his lips against hers softly and she chased the kiss, suddenly needy. "As long as it's your heart," he whispered.

Padme grinned against his mouth, her nose nudging his. "You're such a suck up."

"Is it working?"

"I might need some more persuasion," she teased, stretching her neck to reach his lips again but he pulled away. She whimpered in protest. He was so cruel sometimes, constantly teasing her, and she could never win, but knew she wouldn't want him any other way.

"You need to brush your teeth. Right now," he said firmly, as though that was a good enough reason not to kiss her. She huffed and poked her tongue out at him, feeling like a child but not really caring, because her head was pounding and she couldn't open her eyes properly and her voice was hoarse and she was so incredibly _thirsty._ She expressed her need for water in a few, short words and he nodded, crawling out over the top of her, kneeing her in the hip accidentally, and she watched him head into the bathroom, eyeing his long, athletic legs and firm ass barely covered by the scrap of material he called pyjamas. It was a welcoming sight.

He returned moments later with a glass of water and her toothbrush, a stripe of toothpaste laying along the bristles in readiness, and she grasped the glass eagerly with both hands, swallowing it down in one, large gulp, before beaming up at him in thanks. "My hero," she praised him.

They sat there, at opposite ends of the bed, for several minutes, Padme brushing her teeth, Anakin smoothing his fingers up and down her calves. It was easy; such a natural state for them to be in. Being together like this was all Padme ever wanted. It was free of tension, and paranoia and jealousy. It was just them and their unyielding love. The intensity was still there, it always was, but the ferociousness had subsided, replaced by a sweet tranquillity of simply being in each other's presence.

"I'm sorry," she muttered softly, blinking up at him under heavy lids. She was extremely ashamed by how she had been acting. Her emotions had gotten the better of her and she had lashed out, at him, at his friends. It was highly embarrassing.

Her apology made him tilt his head slightly. "What for?"

She sighed, placing her toothbrush on the table beside the bed. She definitely felt better, less thirsty, though still needing water, and the taste of peppermint was strong in her mouth. "For being such a mess." The small smile he sent her confirmed that he knew exactly what she was referring to, not simply getting drunk, but _everything_. "I don't know what's wrong with me, lately."

Anakin slid his hand up to rest on her knee. "There's nothing wrong with you."

Laughing, she shook her head at him. His determination to think the best of her at all times was endearing, and she definitely didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve him at all. "You're too good to me, Ani."

"I love you." The simplicity of the statement always caught Padme by surprise. It was not as though she'd never heard it before. He told her all the time. But there was no hidden meaning, nothing expected in return. He was simply being honest, expressing himself in the only way he knew how. Tears filled her eyes and she beamed at him from the other side of the bed, trying to convey how much he meant to her without saying a word. For a moment, she forgot about her pounding head and parched throat. All that mattered to her was the wonderful boy in front of her, all golden and real and so, _so_ beautiful.

Anakin swung his long legs off the bed, standing up and stretching, before offering out his hand to her. Padme took it and he helped her to her feet. "Come on," he told her. "Get yourself cleaned up and then we'll go, alright?"

It was then she realised she was in her pyjamas and her heart surged with affection. Anakin had dressed her. He had taken the time to _dress her_ , when she had been in no state to dress herself, in an effort to maintain her modesty, and it was that simple action, more than his words, which showed her how much he loved her.

He seemed bemused by her sudden soft expression and asked, "what? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I love you," she whispered, soft and open and light.

Smiling, he fondly stroked her cheek, fingers incredibly gentle. "Go and have a shower."

A wicked thought suddenly crossed her mind and she wet her lips with her tongue, maintaining eye contact, and pulled her pyjama shirt over her head. A shudder of triumph shot down to her core when she saw his eyes darken, and she responded by sliding her shorts down her hips and stepping out of them deftly. "Join me?" she asked, blinking at him innocently, but the sensuality of her voice told a different story entirely.

He swallowed and nodded. Grinning, she took his hand and pulled him along behind her.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: What's better than A/P sex? Angsty A/P sex (well, according to me anyway). Poor insecure Padme. Honestly though, these two are so perfect together it actually makes my heart break.**_

 _ **I'm going on a beach holiday tomorrow (because I'M FINISHED UNIVERSITY FOR THE YEAR! WAHOO!) so yeah, I won't be updating for a while. I'm hoping that these four chapters are enough to sate everyone until I get back.**_

 _ **Song inspiration: 'Fire Meet Gasoline' by Sia. It's just so perfect. Not necessarily for this chapter, just for them in general.**_

 ** _Enjoy xx_**

* * *

"What are you doing for Christmas?" Padme was lying on her stomach on Anakin's bed, hands resting underneath her chin as he sat beside her, back resting against the bedhead. It was some time in the afternoon, Padme wasn't exactly sure of the time, but she was still hungover and felt like being lazy. Anakin had gotten what he wanted, of course. He had taken her out for breakfast and been pleasantly surprised at her ferocious appetite, when she ordered a breakfast burger with extra bacon, two hash-browns, toast and pancakes. And then, as he was prone to, he teased her about it, informing her that ' _that's what happens when you empty the entire contents of your stomach'_ , to which she had responded with a sharp kick to his shin.

Once she had sobered up with coffee and her hunger satisfied, they had rented a movie – even though Padme insisted it would be cheaper just to Netflix it, but Anakin had an urge to be old-fashioned – and now they were just lying around, too tired to do much else. He'd said he had work to do for class back on Monday, and Padme had every intention of knocking over some of her readings, but she'd fallen asleep before she'd finished one page.

Now awake, she amused herself by watching Anakin study. He was incredibly attractive as he sat there, workbook resting on his bent knees, tongue between his teeth, eyes narrowed in concentration as he scribbled down formulas, punching numbers into his calculator at an impressive rate.

"Going home," he replied, not looking up at her. "I always spend Christmas with mom and Obi-wan and Ahsoka…" he broke off, a frown marring his features, before cursing under his breath and erasing some sort of mistake. Intrigued, Padme propped herself up on her elbows and glanced down at his workbook. It was a bunch of numbers and letters and Greek letters and several other mathematical symbols that all made no sense to her.

"I don't know how you do that," she told him. "It's like another language."

He smirked. "I should add it to my CV. _Can speak math_." His voice went all monotonous and robotic and Padme rolled her eyes at him. "What languages do you speak then?" he demanded, frowning at her.

"Je peux parler français, mon amore," she purred, rolling her tongue and Anakin's eyes grew darker at the sound of it.

"Is that… French?" he asked, obviously aroused by the sound of it.

Padme grinned, nodding. "Yes. The language of love. I could teach you, if you want?"

He shook his head. "I don't think it will sound that sexy coming out of my mouth."

She laughed, pressing a kiss to the bared skin of his shoulder, lightly, but enough to cause him to flinch under the delicate touch. "I don't know," she hummed. "You definitely sounded sexy this morning in the shower."

He groaned, desperately trying to resist her advances. "And you call _me_ a flirt," he muttered under his breath as she crawled closer to him, sliding her lips from shoulder to neck. She liked him like this, vulnerable, willing, exposed for her pleasure. She never had much of a chance to worship him the way he worshipped her, not because he didn't want her too, but because he simply to consumed with pleasuring her, making her tremble under his ministrations.

"You're rubbing off on me," she quipped.

" _Padme_ ," he growled, voice shaking with desire. "I'm trying to study."

Anakin met her pleading gaze firmly and she sighed, admiring his strength because she would have definitely crumbled. "Fine," she grumbled and he laughed, kissing her forehead sweetly before returning his concentration to his work.

Her sudden possessiveness surprised her. She didn't know where it came from, but it had started since they had reunited after a month apart. All of a sudden, she was crazy, emotional, jealous… something she'd never thought she'd become. The distance had made her so highly strung, so _paranoid_. It deeply concerned her. Padme was supposed to be the stable one. The one in control of her emotions. The reasonable, logical one. Now, that rationality that she held onto so tightly was slowly slipping away. She just couldn't _bear_ to be without Anakin. It was like being without air.

The more she thought about it, the more bewildered she became. Padme had never thought she'd ever feel like this; wholly connected to one person so completely that it was almost her life force. And she definitely hadn't expected it to be Anakin. When they'd been reunited again five months ago, she hadn't expected to fall so hard for him. She wasn't looking for love and yet it found her, caught her completely by surprise and consumed her so wonderfully that she was unable to escape it. Being with Anakin was the most dangerous adventure of her life, and as much as it hurt to be apart, she never wanted it to end. She would rather die.

"What're you doing? For Christmas?" Anakin asked her after a while.

Padme paused. Most years she spent Christmas with her father. Just the two of them. It was never anything special, they would usually go out for pudding and exchanging gifts, but it had become a tradition each year. However, seeing her sister and her mother again had made her realise how much she missed them. She wanted to be in their lives again. They were her family, too. "I don't know," she replied. "I might spend it with mom and Sola this year."

"That sounds nice," Anakin said, then, as an afterthought, "we should join them."

"Join what?"

"Our Christmases," he explained, simply, as though she should have guessed the answer. "We should join them. My family and yours."

His suggestion caught her off guard. Joint Christmases? Anakin wanted to join his family and hers? The thought made her heart soar. Doing something like that, involving their families, was a massive leap forward in their relationship. It would no longer be simply the two of them. She blinked at him, her face blank and impassive as she absorbed the information.

Stricken that he'd said the wrong thing, Anakin quickly explained, all rushed and awkward and adorable, "or not. I mean, we don't – we don't have to. It was just… I mean. You're almost part of my family anyway – Ahsoka loves you, and so does Obi-wan and my mother and. Well. I've met your sister before and she seemed to like me and – "

" _Ani_."

He stopped his rambling mid-sentence, taking in her wide-eyed expression, the soft smile on her face as she stared up at him in awe. "W-what?" His head was tilted to the side, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

He considered her part of his family. That was more than she had ever expected and it made her so, _so_ incredibly happy. Padme realised that this was not simply a relationship to him. She was a solid constant in Anakin's life; an important figure, _part of his family_. That was all she wanted. All she had ever wanted.

"You," she replied, heavily emotional, regarding him fondly through glistening eyelashes. "You're so… _sweet._ "

He smirked at her response, raising an eyebrow, though the affection dancing in his eyes told her he was just as affected by her sudden softness. "Sweet? I was sexy not ten minutes ago. Which is it?"

Humming a laugh in the back of her throat, Padme turned onto her side and shuffled next to him, her head finding its favourite resting place against his warm shoulder. Resting her hand gently on his firm belly, she pressed her body against his, cherishing the feeling of his taut muscles tensing under her touch. "Do you always have to ruin the moment?" not angry, simply amused, because he could never be sweet for more than a few minutes before his teasing returned.

Her eyes fell on his left hand, how it rested on his bent knee, curled into a relaxed fist as he worked. She glared at it, suddenly envious, because she wanted that arm around her waist, that hand running up and down her sides like it did when they were sleeping. But, instead of annoying him, she simply admired him. The long, elegant fingers, the way they twitched unconsciously every few seconds, unable to keep still, the thin, white scar across the top of his knuckles. Anakin had beautiful hands. They could be strong and gentle, they could work wonders with both machinery and her own body. The thought brought a smile to her face and she rubbed her cheek against his shoulder affectionately.

He glanced down, smiling at her attentions. "You wouldn't have me any other way."

 _There are several other ways I'd like to have you, right now_. The thought crossed her mind wickedly and she wet her lips with her tongue. The action was not lost on Anakin. When her eyes met his she knew that _he_ knew exactly what she wanted.

"You never answered my question," he reminded her, voice low and rough and delicious. She thrilled at the sound of it, as she did every time. His effect on her was unlike anything else.

"Both," she replied simply, leaning up to kiss his cheek. When her lips slid their way down to his ear and her tongue flicked out, tracing the shell, she heard his breath catch and his pencil dropped from his hand. Grinning triumphantly, she sucked his earlobe into her mouth. "You're sweet…" she paused to shove his book out of his hands and threw her leg over him, straddling his waist. "And you're sexy." His eyes flashed at her words, hands coming to rest on her hips, glancing up at her expectantly. "And I love every," she kissed his nose, "single," her ran up and down his chest, " _part of you._ " Her lips found his then and she invaded his mouth with her tongue, her sudden forcefulness surprising him, but pleasing him all the same.

"Really?" he asked when they pulled away. " _Every_ part?"

She nodded in response, eyes hooded and kissed along his chin and the length of his jaw. "Mmhmm," she breathed against his skin, extremely pleased with the little breathy gasps she was eliciting from him. "Would you like me to prove it to you?"

He laughed, a husky laugh, full of desire for her and she knew she had won. She lived for this, these moments, the little games they played together. "You're going to do it anyway," he admitted in defeat, though she knew he wasn't upset. Not at all. The way he was looking at her proved that much. "Don't let me stop you."

"Good." She kissed him again, sweeter, softer than before, because she had all the time in the world and wanted to savour every moment spent with Anakin. He relaxed into the kiss with ease, letting his hands roam up underneath her top to caress the skin of her back. Pulling back after a little while, Padme drank in the sight of him. God, he was a gift. A gift she certainly didn't deserve, but most definitely never wanted to give up. Those eyes of his, so intense and enticing and fathomless, his soft, kiss-swollen lips, the sharp contours of his jaw, his cheekbones, his nose, and that glorious, golden hair that framed his face.

"I love your hair," she said after a time, carding her fingers through it lovingly, feeling the soft locks slip through her fingers like silk.

Her sudden proclamation made him raise his eyebrows in surprise. "My _hair?_ "

She nodded, twirling the locks around her fingers. "I love the feel of it," she told him, "I love how it looks like gold in the sun." Leaning closer, giving him a devilishly smirk, she whispered, "I love gripping it when you _fuck_ me." The use of such vulgarity made his eyes darken. Padme never used such language, not even in the throes of passion. She was always proper and elegant. But she didn't want to be proper now. Perhaps it was because she felt guilty for acting so erratic, or perhaps it was just because Anakin was half-naked underneath her, but either way, she wanted to _worship him._

Anakin swallowed, and she was mesmerised by the sudden bob of his Adams apple, before he cleared his throat and muttered, "well, keep going."

She grinned. He liked this. Anakin had an ego, one that he definitely wasn't shy in displaying, and Padme was in the mood to fuel it, to tell him _just_ how much she appreciated him. _All_ of him. _Everything._

Leaning in close to him, she stuck out her tongue and traced along the curve of his full lips, keeping her eyes fixed on him. They were so expressive, she knew exactly what he was thinking without him even saying a word. "I love your mouth," she told him, seductively. His lips parted instinctively and she could feel his hot breath, moist on her skin. "I love the things you say. I love the things you _do_." She bit down on the plump flesh of his lower lip and the growl that escaped him made her insides squirm with arousal. The hands on her back were now gripping her hips, tight, needy, _possessive_.

Never had she felt more in control than right now. Anakin was completely at her mercy and there was no way she was letting this go. Padme was going to have her way with him and it was going to be as torturous and agonisingly slow as he often was with her. It was only fair, after all.

She continued her descent down his neck, sucking softly at the hollow of his throat and nipping his skin with her teeth, not painful, but enough to make him flinch. Her hands took his from her hips and she laced their fingers together, before pulling them up above his head, holding him there as he had done to her so many times. He let out a surprised sound and went to move, when she bit him, _hard_ , and she flicked her eyes up to his, firm and determined. _No_. He understood her intent, nodding his head a little, and then fluttering his eyes closed as her lips captured his nipple and sucked on it harshly.

"W-what are you doing?" he asked her, voice breathy and hitched and so _fucking_ _sexy_ that she moaned against him.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she teased, circling his nipple with her tongue, enjoying seeing him so helpless under her and so obviously aroused – she could feel him pressed up against her stomach, straining against his shorts and she grinned wickedly.

He never answered her, because suddenly her tongue dipped into his navel and his hips thrust upwards unconsciously and he was biting his lip and Padme felt herself grow more and more aroused at the sight of him. _She_ was doing this. _She_ was making him this way. That thrilled her more than anything.

"I love these," she told him, running her nose along the trail of fine, blond hair that disappeared underneath the waistband of his shorts.

Anakin snorted. "Why the hell do you like _those_?" he asked, incredulous and she chuckled against him.

"Because," she explained, voice low and seductive. "They lead me to this." And then she hooked her fingers under his shorts and pulled them roughly down his legs, exposing him to her hungry gaze. He was almost completely erect, but not quite, standing tall and proud amongst a bed of dark blond curls. Curiously, for she was an incredibly curious person, Padme ran her fingers along the length of him, making him gasp and moan and undulate his hips into her touch.

She hadn't been this close to him before. Of course, she'd admired his naked form more times than she could count, but this was different. He was right _there,_ inches away from her, and she took her time, admiring the slight curve of him, the purple mushroomed head, the glistening beads of arousal seeping out of the top. It was certainly an impressive sight, and she let him know how much she enjoyed it by wrapping her small hand around him and dragging it up slowly, from base to tip.

"Fuck, Padme _,_ " he cursed, eyes squeezed shut, and she felt bolts of pleasure shoot down to her own core at the sound of his raspy voice.

"Show me, Ani," she breathed, because as much as she wanted to be in control, she was not experienced with this at all, and wanted to bring Anakin the same amount of pleasure that he constantly brought her. "Show me how you like it."

With a nod, his trembling fingers found hers and caressed her fingertips gently, before moving her hand up towards his throbbing head. Very gently, he began to circle the tip and she watched, fascinated, before getting the idea and following suit. Her thumb caught the tiny, pearl droplet leaking out of him and she grew bold, digging into the slit making him hiss. She continued that movement, up and down, circling, digging, her hands rough and soft, and when he whispered – no _begged_ – "harder," she obliged, working him faster in her hands.

It was unlike anything she had ever done before. He was hard, so _wonderfully_ hard, yet his skin was smooth and hot underneath her fingers. His mouth was open, breathing caught, eyes fluttering madly under his closed lips.

Growing bolder still, she gripped his base firmly and pressed a kiss to his leaking tip. The action made his eyes snap open, hooded and misty and so completely aroused. Never taking her eyes off him, she swirled her tongue around his throbbing head, before wrapping her lips around him and sucking harshly. The moan that escaped him made her hum. He tasted salty, not unpleasantly so, but unique and new and Padme took it in her stride and slowly lowered her mouth over the length of him.

" _Angel!_ " he cried, fighting to keep his hips from moving and she knew he was struggling to restrain himself, for her sake, because he knew she was new to this. That only made her love him more. Even now, when she had his cock in her mouth, he was solely focused on her, _her_ pleasure, _her_ comfort. Not for the first time, she realised that she was entirely undeserving of him.

It only served to make her more determined. Padme never shied away from a challenge. Relaxing her throat, she took him further, until her nose was pressed against his pubic bone and his tip nudged the back of her throat. Pride surged through her at the accomplishment. Hollowing out her cheeks, she slowly dragged back up, letting him slip out of her mouth until only the tip was between her lips. Then she did it again, and again, growing more confident each time, taking him fully each time, faster, harder, until he was rocking his hips up to meet her and her name spilled from his lips over and over and over and it was the most beautiful sound in the world.

The muscles in his stomach began to tighten suddenly and his hands found their way into her hand, gripping it tightly, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. "Padme, I'm – I'm close. I'm – " he clenched his eyes shut, back arching off the bed. "I-if you don't… I'll… _fuck,_ " his voice quickly turned into strangled moan of pleasure, but Padme didn't care. She knew what was going to happen and she had decided, in the midst of it all, that she wasn't going to pull away.

" _Padme_!" He snapped his hips and suddenly, he spilled himself inside her and she took all he gave her, keeping her eyes fixed on his blissful face, swallowing his seed until he had emptied himself. When he was done, he opened his eyes, swimming with moisture, a slack grin on his face and watched with dark eyes as she gently let him fall from her mouth. Hands still in her hair, he mouthed _come here_ , and she willingly crawled up his body and surrendered to his passionate kiss.

They pulled away, chests heaving, and he stroked her cheek gently. The way he was looking at her made her flush from her cheeks right down to her core. "You're _incredible_ ," he told her softly, and she beamed back at him, feeling completely and utterly adored. His fingers ghosted along her jaw and down her neck to curl back into her hair. "Not that I'm complaining, but… what was that?"

With a happy sigh, she rested her hands on his chest, relishing in the fast, heavy beating of his heart beneath her palm. "I love you," she replied, simply, as though that was the only explanation needed. "I – I wanted to show you that I love you. And…" her voice broke up, suddenly sheepish and she looked away, cheeks blazing with embarrassment. "And I wanted to… apologise."

"Apologise?" he cocked his head to the side, thumb caressing the skin of her neck, infinitely soft. "What for?"

Padme bit her lip. "I've been acting… I've be so _crazy_ this weekend. I-I don't know what's wrong with me," her voice trembled with emotion. She felt awful. Anakin had been so good to her, he had put up with her tantrum and her drunken state and her raging hormones and she didn't deserve any of it. "You've been so patient with me, Anakin, and I – I don't deserve it."

At her words, his expression hardened in to one of fierce determination and he gripped her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Stop it, Padme. Don't say things like that." He stretched his neck to chase her lips, kissing her hard, and she trembled under the intensity of it.

"It _hurts,_ Ani," she whispered when they broke away, as her vision became blurred. "It _hurts_ to be away from you and I – " tears were falling freely from her eyes now, forming rivets down her cheeks but she continued. "I'm so scared _._ I'm so _scared,_ Anakin. That you'll… that you'll get _bored_ of me."

He turned concerned, eyes narrowed, and brushed away her tears. "Hey," he whispered tenderly. "What's brought this on?" His soft expression broke her and she fell forward against his chest, sobbing, tears falling against his hot skin. His arms came around her and ran up and down her spine, trying desperately to soothe her anguish. All her worries, all her insecurities had resurfaced and she needed to know, she needed to _hear_ that she was all Anakin would ever want. "If I've done something to make you doubt me…"

She shook her head against him, clutching at his broad shoulders. "No, Ani, _never._ You're… you're so _wonderful._ You deserve someone who – who won't hold you b-back, someone younger… n-not – "

She never got to finish what she was saying – or more accurately, sobbing – because he gripped her hips tightly and flipped them over, crushing his mouth against hers and she could feel his _passion_ , his _anger,_ his intense love for her pouring out of him and she trembled under the heat of it. "Don't you _ever_ say that again," he growled aggressively against her lips. "Don't you fucking dare." She whimpered, clinging to him desperately. "You deserve me, Padme. It's _me_ who doesn't deserve _you_. You're so fucking _perfect_ , and I'm so fucking in love with you and I can't…" he paused to attack her mouth again and Padme opened up to him freely, giving into him, "I can't _live without you._ "

His confession made her sob, and she wrapped her legs and arms around him, crushing his body against hers because she needed to feel the heavy weight of him.

"I need. You. Need to be inside you – " he snarled and she nodded her head blindly, eyes tracing every contour of his face as he reached into the drawer beside him, hastily rolling on a condom. He pulled her pants down, slid her underwear to the side and she cried, " _please_ ," before he surged inside her.

It was rough and it was aggressive and it was full of desperation, and yet Padme had never wanted anything more than this. It was over quickly, but they found their release together, within seconds of each other, and she cried out his name, not caring how loud she was. And when they were done, a peaceful serenity washed over them and they lay there, sweaty and exhausted, a tangle of clothes around their ankles, but they didn't move. The air was thick with emotion and Padme brought a hand up to brush her tears away from her wet cheeks.

"I love you," Anakin told her, cradling her to his chest, stroking her hair lovingly. "Always. Don't ever, _ever_ , think I don't." She nodded against him. "You are all I need. Understand?"

The harsh tone of his voice startled her a little, but she knew it was merely a symbol for how strongly he felt for her. She felt the same way. "I love you, Ani. Always."

They lay there for what seemed like hours, neither one willing to leave the other's embrace, content to will away their lives there, in that very room. Nothing else mattered. There was nothing else but Padme and Anakin and their love in that moment.

"So," Anakin said lightly, after a while. "I take it you want to spend Christmas with my family, then?"

She laughed against him. "I couldn't think of anything more perfect," she replied honestly.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N:I've returned from the glorious sunny coast (in Queensland, for all you non-Aussie readers) and oh my gosh was it a well deserved holiday. Anyway, as promised, I've got a new chapter for you (it's actually the longest one I've written so far).**_

 _ **And no, once again, PADME IS NOT PREGGERS. Please, please believe me when I say that I am terrible when it comes to subtly. What I'm saying is, if she's pregnant you'll DEFINITELY know about it. She emotional because she's in love. She's hungry because she's hungover. And she's tired because she hardly had any sleep. There you go.**_

 _ **Also, father-daughter moments between Padme and Ruwee AWWWWWW.**_

 _ **Also Anakin-Ruwee future bonding moments AWWWWWW.**_

 _ **The salt-water must have gotten to my head. Sorry about the rant. Please enjoy xx**_

* * *

Going back to Harvard was always a bittersweet moment, but lately Padme was finding it more bitter than sweet. Of course, she loved Harvard. She loved the campus, the atmosphere, the people. She loved the classes she took. It had been her home for so many years and she would definitely be sad to leave it behind once she'd graduated. But, Harvard lacked Anakin, and anywhere without him was a place she didn't want to be.

She arrived back late Sunday, the least busiest day of the week. Hardly any students passed her on her way up to her room and Padme smiled at that. No doubt everyone would be curled up in their rooms, dreading for Monday to come. She had felt that way many times over the weekend. _Dread_. Dreading to come back to Harvard. Dreading to leave Anakin.

Her roommate opened the door as she arrived, smiling at her brightly and helped her with her luggage. Their room was one of the nicest on campus, courtesy of her father no doubt. It was spacious, far more spacious than Anakin's was, and they had a small little common room as well, equipped with a television, a sofa and a small kitchenette, which split off into two bedrooms and a shared bathroom. The distinct aroma of Indian takeout was strong, and immediately, her eyes zoned in on the small, takeaway boxes sitting on the coffee table. Her stomach grumbled. She hadn't eaten since breakfast.

"Did you have a good weekend?" Dorme asked her, following her into the room as she began to unpack her things. She was a pretty thing, brown hair, brown eyes, rosy cheeks. Most people thought she and Padme were sisters, their likeness was so uncanny. She was one of the only people Padme had told about Anakin, one of the only people who knew that they visited each other as often as they could.

Smiling sadly, Padme nodded. "Too short."

Dorme nodded her head in sympathy. "When is he coming here next?"

The only one of Padme's friends Anakin had met was Dorme, simply because she was her roommate and it was impossible for them not to run into each other. Particularly when Padme had class and Anakin stayed behind. They got on well. Yet, for some reason, Padme had told no-one else at Harvard that she was in a relationship. Her mother and sister knew, of course, but not even her own father. Perhaps, a more logical side of her reasoned, she didn't tell anyone because she didn't want her father to find out. But that was only partly true. Padme just didn't like telling people about her private life.

When she had been with Clovis, everyone had known, so of course, when they were no longer together, she was flooded with sympathy and people wanting her to _talk about it,_ something Padme had been less than inclined towards. Although she shouldn't compare her relationship with Clovis to her relationship with Anakin - because they were very different people and she had never felt half the emotions Anakin brought out in her that she had with Clovis – it was the only thing she had to base it on.

"I don't know," she replied sadly. She hadn't heard from him since she'd landed. Not that she was worried. He'd call her later tonight, like he always did, to ask her if she'd had a safe flight. It was one of those incredibly simple ways he showed her he loved her and Padme always thrilled for those little conversations.

"You want some food?" Dorme asked as she went back out into the common room. "I ordered too much."

Without even waiting for a reply, Dorme reappeared with a container of butter chicken, making Padme grin. Airplane food was always awful, and she had not even eaten lunch.

"Thanks," she took the offer, putting the container on the top of her dresser. Dorme sat down her bed, crossing her legs expectantly while Padme continued to unpack her things. The clothes from the party had been wrapped up in a plastic bag and she took it out gingerly, ignoring the smirk her roommate sent her way. She wasn't in the mood to discuss her disgraceful behaviour and simply deposited the soiled clothing articles in her laundry hamper. Time for discussion would be later, when vodka martinis were involved.

"So," Dorme grinned slyly. "How was lover boy?"

Padme sighed, rolling her eyes at her friend, though she couldn't hide the small smile on her face. Dorme had taken to calling Anakin _lover boy_ every time he came to visit, and the name had stuck, which pleased him immensely. Though Padme didn't exactly approve, it was better than the original suggestion. _Boy toy_. No, lover boy was much better.

"He was… good," Padme conceded, making Dorme raise her eyebrows.

"Just good, huh? I'd expect, after a month apart, it'd be better than just good."

Pursing her lips, Padme turned on her friend. "Why is everyone so concerned with my sex life?" First Aayla Seccura, now Dorme. It was starting to get ridiculous.

Dorme merely shrugged. "Padme," she began, seriously. "I'm your best friend. It's my job to inquire about your sex life. And," she added with a smirk, "you're the only one of us getting any, so it's your duty to impart your knowledge onto me."

"You had sex last week, let me remind you." she informed her.

Dorme dismissed that comment with a wave of her hand. "Drunk sex doesn't count. Now, spill your dirty deeds, or should I just ring lover boy and ask him myself?"

Padme groaned, not bothering to ask how Dorme had Anakin's number. Her roommate did this every time she came back from Chicago, constantly pestering her for every detail, until Padme eventually gave in and spilled. Of course, Padme couldn't begrudge her that, for she had done the same thing before she'd been with Anakin and Dorme had been in a relationship. It was just what they did.

In hushed tones, as though she was afraid there were eavesdroppers outside of her room, Padme disclosed to Dorme everything about her weekend, making sure to leave out the drunk episode, knowing that she would never hear the end of it if she did, and tried to be as discrete as possible, and Dorme absorbed every word with obvious intrigue.

When she was finished, Dorme flashed her a wry smile, "a college party, eh? Was it one of those – ah, what're they called? Traffic light parties? Did you have to wear a red wristband or something ridiculous?"

Padme frowned at her friend. "No, it was just a house party," she replied.

"Did you get high?"

"No!" Padme gasped in shock, horrified at the very thought. She had never even thought about doing such things in her life; regardless of whether people thought she was a stiff, she had never succumbed to that way of life. Her morals were high in that regard at least. And Anakin? Anakin was clean now. He wouldn't get high. Not after everything that had happened to him.

Sensing she'd struck a nerve, Dorme explained, "sorry, I was just asking. It seems to be a thing people do at parties." The apologetic expression that adorned her face made Padme soften and she gave her friend a small smile.

They sat in silence for some time after that, neither one knowing how to continue the conversation after that point. Padme was grateful for the silence. She was tired from her flight and simply wanted to relax, and maybe even take a nap.

"Your dad dropped by," Dorme suddenly exclaimed, as though the idea had just occurred to her. That was interesting. Her father? He'd never been to visit her before, he was more the type to wait for her to visit him. What did he want? It had to be important if he'd made the effort to come to her dorm room, even though he lectured at Harvard and occasionally they bumped into each other on campus.

Another, more terrifying thought crossed her mind. Had Dorme told him where she had been? Padme had made a point not to tell her father about Anakin, simply because she knew he wouldn't approve of her relationship with him, and she didn't have the inclination to argue with him about it, nor the time to deal with his scoldings. She was a grown woman of twenty-four; she should not have to comply to her father's wishes about whom she dated. It was not the eighteenth century.

"What did he want?" she asked skeptically.

"I don't know," Dorme replied with a casual shrug of her shoulders. She had relocated to the common area, and was lounging on the sofa, flicking through the tv and picking at her butter chicken. "He didn't say why. He just asked where you were."

The feeling of dread returned again and Padme swallowed uncomfortably. "What did you say?"

"That you were in Chicago."

Blanching, Padme bit her lip. "You didn't tell him about Anakin, did you?" she demanded, suddenly nervous and anxious.

Her distress signals must have been extremely obvious, for Dorme turned to face her, giving her a reassuring smile and shook her head. "No, of course I didn't. But…" she broke off, looking unsure, "you should probably tell him, though. He didn't exactly seem… _happy_."

Groaning, Padme slumped down next to her roommate and put her head in her hands. Of course, it had lasted too long. Not that she liked to acknowledge the fact, her father paid for her credit card. Of course he knew that she was flying off to Chicago at least once a month, without any explanation. They had had five months of secrecy; that was better than anything Padme had anticipated. She had always known she'd need to tell him sooner or later, but it had always been _later_ , never _sooner_.

"Why don't you just tell him?" Dorme suggested softly, with all the good intentions of a best friend, but Padme snapped her head up and scowled at her in response.

"You _know_ why I can't do that."

Shaking her head, Dorme sighed in exasperation. "I think you're making a big deal out of nothing. Why wouldn't your dad approve of Anakin? He's studying engineering, that's pretty impressive. And he's a nice guy. I mean, I suppose the age gap would be the only thing, but that's so minor. It's not even a factor."

"You don't _understand_ ," Padme sighed melodramatically. "You should have seen the way he doted on Clovis. He treated him as the son he never had! The golden, prodigal boyfriend of his youngest daughter, from a wealthy, aristocratic family, destined to be a lawyer," she said the words with a dramatic air, waving her hands about. "If I bring anyone, _anyone_ , home who isn't the same brand of pedigree, he wont' approve. He just won't." She crossed her arms in firm defiance, as though that settled the matter.

"Clovis cheated on you, Padme," Dorme reminded her with a hardened scowl. "Your father hated him much after that." It was true, but Padme had always believed that was because he was disappointed that his dream son-in-law was gone, that Padme hadn't done enough to keep him. That it was _her_ fault that he was a lying, cheating bastard. "I'm sure he just wants the best for his little girl," Dorme continued. "That's what all fathers want. And Anakin hasn't treated you badly once. He's bound to like him."

There was truth in her words, but Padme knew her father too well. Sola had disappointed him, running off with a Swedish man when she was twenty-one. It was down to Padme to make a successful marriage. It was a burden she didn't want. She was an idealist. At least, she was to a certain extent. She had never harboured the views of her father. She was too much like her mother in that regard.

"In any case," Dorme continued, oblivious to the turmoil that was swirling in her roommates brain, "you should at least call him. He wouldn't have stopped by if he didn't want to see you."

Padme nodded reluctantly. If her father didn't know about Anakin now, he would by the end of the day. It was inevitable. "Yeah, I know. I will," she promised solemnly.

Later that afternoon, when she eventually called her father, she was surprised when the topic of Chicago did not arise. Even more oddly, her father had simply dropped by to see how she was, and invited her out to dinner, not to investigate her love-life or frequent Chicago visits. It was all very confusing.

Dinner was scheduled for seven at their favourite little Italian restaurant down the road. It had been a frequent dining spot for them during her time at Harvard, whenever her father felt inclined to take Padme out and shout her dinner, it was always to that restaurant. She had wanted to take Anakin there, but, as he had pointed out, they rarely left her room when he came to stay, only to get coffee.

She dressed comfortably, but prettily enough, in a teal dress with grey leggings, brown ankle boots and her trusty jacket, pulling her curls back into a ponytail. The weather had grown exceptionally colder between October and November, and now, as it was heading into the final month of the year, the air often held a sort of icy chill to it.

Padme didn't mind the cold. She loved rugging up under sweaters and scarfs and gloves and boots, sitting by roaring fires and watching her breath turn to mist outside. She loved skiing and ice-skating and drinking hot chocolate, letting it warm her from the inside out. Anakin, on the other hand, hated the cold. At least, that was what he had told her. He loved sweltering heat and the scorching sun on his back, when his skin was damp and hair dripping with perspiration. Though Padme enjoyed swimming, she found the heat to be a little unbearable. There were only so many layers you could remove before you were naked and still hot.

The campus was busier when she left her room than when she had arrived earlier that day. A local band were busking in the courtyard, serenading couples who lay spread along the grass, snuggling into each other. As always, the sight made Padme think of Anakin. It was something she could picture the two of them doing, and her body warmed at the thought of her lying, curling into him, his arms around her and cheek pressed against her hair, holding her softly as they listened to the mellow sounds of alternative folk music. Yes. It was something she could picture very clearly.

A part of her sighed at how pathetic she was being. They had only been apart for six hours, and yet she already missed him immensely. It was ridiculous and also a little depressing. _Get a hold of yourself_ , she scolded firmly as she passed several couples walking hand in hand along the footpath, gazing at each other with fond, star-struck eyes. There was a time, when Padme was newly single, that such sights gave her the same pangs of agony, just for entirely different reasons. Now, all she could see was Anakin, and she wanted nothing more than to be by his side again, in his arms again. It was where she belonged.

Her father was waiting for her at their regular table, standing up as she approached to pull out her chair, before sliding it in behind her. No matter his views on her achievements, he was a gentleman and she beamed at him in return.

"You look lovely, Padme," he told her fondly, his brown eyes crinkling at the sides.

"Thanks, dad," she replied, friendly enough, but there was an awkward, almost uncomfortable air between them. Perhaps Padme was imagining it, but Ruwee seemed to be scrutinising her more than normal, and she squirmed under the gaze, crossing her ankles under the table and shrugging her jack off her shoulders, draping it over the back of her chair.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" he asked her, noticing her discomfort, and she nodded her head quickly, trying to abate him. She was nervous. She shouldn't be, but she was. "How are you liking your classes this semester?"

Relieved at the change of subject, Padme smiled and nodded her head, "yeah, they're alright." A waiter suddenly approached the table, interrupting their small talk, something Padme was grateful for because she had never been good at it. Ruwee ordered a bottle of red between them and gave the waiter a hefty tip, which he took gratefully, before leaving. Moments later, he returned with the wine and poured each of them a glass. Raising it up, Ruwee nudged his glass with hers and they each took a sip. It was sweet, sweeter than most reds she had tasted, and she enjoyed it.

"So, what did you want to see me about?" she asked, running her finger around the rim of the glass. There was no point dancing around the subject with aimless courtesies. They both loathed that.

Ruwee frowned. "Do I need an occasion to see my daughter?" he asked sternly.

"No," Padme admitted. "But you never see me unless you have something you want to tell me. So, what is it?"

His frown deepened and Padme knew she was being short with him, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't handle the suspense and just wanted the argument to be over and done with. Instead, she had not anticipated how upset her father seemed to be at her assumption and, instinctively, took another sip of her wine to calm her nerves.

"Is that what you think of me?" he asked her, his voice low and gruff and she could sense that he was unhappy. The look in his eyes made her feel incredibly guilty and she swallowed the uncomfortable lump in her throat.

"No, dad," she assured him, trying to brighten him up with a smile. "Of course not. But, the last time you took me out to dinner it was because you told me I'd gotten a high distinction in one of my classes." That comment made him smile again, which she was grateful for. It was last year, and when her father had found out, seeing as he was a member of staff and friends with some of Padme's professors, he'd wanted to tell her in person.

Chuckling good-naturedly, Ruwee beamed at her. "Well, it was an important occasion and I wanted to celebrate it with my little girl. That's allowed, isn't it?"

She grinned and nodded, "yep," and they raised their glasses again.

It wasn't until after their meal – Padme had decided to be cliché and ordered a chicken carbonara, which had been absolutely enormous and left her sinking in her chair, glad she wearing a flowy dress to hide the food baby that was bloating her stomach – that her father finally broached the subject. It was almost as though he had been lulling her into a false sense of security with food and wine, then taking advantage of her weakened state and launching a full scale attack. If it were any other topic, Padme might have praised his cleverness.

"So, who's the Chicago boy?" he asked – or rather, _demanded_ , once the waiter had taken both of their empty plates.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Who said anything about a boy?" she queried, trying to test how much he had weaselled out of someone, most likely her mother, without giving any answers away.

Ruwee heaved a sigh. "I'm not a simpleton, Padme, don't treat me like one. I've been watching your expenses. I've seen all the trips to Chicago. I mean, it's a great city, but it's not that great to go there almost twice a month. So, I'll ask you again, who's the boy?"

He was leaning forward now, one hand still around his glass, the other resting lazily against his cheek. There was almost a _smugness_ to him that reminded her alarmingly of Anakin; the teasing nature of it was frighteningly familiar that it made her start.

She didn't reply for a while, merely running her finger around the rim of her wine glass, a habit she had been resorting to of late when she was nervous or uncomfortable. "Who told you?" she asked quietly. "Was it mom?"

Ruwee nodded curtly. "I asked her. But, I find it a little disconcerting," he added, rather bitterly, "that my own _daughter_ couldn't tell me herself."

Padme groaned. This was _exactly_ what she didn't want to happen. "It's not that," she insisted, even though she knew he was right. She hadn't told him. He'd had to find out from her mother. Resorting to such desperate methods made Padme realise she'd been very foolish and childish.

"Then what _is_ it, Padme?" he asked her. "Why are you keeping secrets from me? Why am I the only one, _the only person_ , who doesn't know about this? Your mother, your sister, even that _hair-brained_ friend of yours!" He was upset. She had bruised his pride, she had wounded him.

She sighed and put her head in her hands, unsure of how to go on. "I'm not keeping secrets from you, dad," she began. "I was going to tell you – "

" – When?"

" When I was ready," she snapped, growing tired of his harsh tone. He had no right to question her decisions like this. "You don't exactly make it easy for me to confide things in you."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Seriously, dad? You have all these expectations of what I'm supposed to do and who I'm supposed to associate with. I mean, you don't even approve of _Dorme_ ," she cried, trying to keep her voice down because they were in a public place, but finding it difficult to control her emotions. "How are you going to react to _Anakin?_ "

Ruwee scowled, suddenly concerned. "Is he a criminal or something?" he asked, suddenly very serious and Padme gulped. Anakin wasn't a criminal, at least, he wasn't any more. He'd had a tough life and made bad decisions but he'd learned from those and he'd grown up and she loved him all the more for it.

"No," she said, not lying because it wasn't true, not _now_ at least.

"Has he hurt you?" Ruwee asked again, his expression hard and completely serious.

"Of course not!" Padme exclaimed, insulted at the very idea. "He would never hurt me."

"Then what's the problem?"

They met each other's stern glares for several, fiercely silent minutes. For two people so very different, they were strangely alike in their stubbornness and determination. Padme eventually gave in, sighing heavily. She didn't like arguing with her father. She loved him, but he could be annoyingly stuck in his own views, unwilling to see other options or opinions or even take them into consideration. The last thing she wanted was for him to be angry with her..

"I saw how you were with Rush," she began sadly, refusing to look up at her father. "You loved him. He was part of _your_ world," her frown deepened as she remembered just how quickly her father had taken to Clovis, at how he had not just lied to Padme, but to Ruwee as well. He had betrayed and left his scars on both of them. "But Anakin… he's not like that. He's not from your world." Anakin was leagues above Clovis in every regard according to Padme. He wasn't perfect, but he was perfect for her and she was so deeply in love with him that it ached. How her father saw him was a different matter entirely.

Ruwee absorbed her concerns quietly, his eyes downcast, before he eventually met her gaze, full of sincerity. "Is that what you're worried about? That I won't approve of him because he's not from wealth?" Padme couldn't speak, so she simply nodded her head in reply. "Padme, all I want is for you to be happy. That is all I have ever wanted for you and your sister." His voice broke off, strangely emotional, and Padme realised this was probably a difficult thing for him to say. She'd never seen her father like this, except at Sola's wedding. "I know I was hard on you girls… but that was because I thought I _knew_ what would make you happy. Your sister…" he smiled fondly, "well, she gave me quite a talking to after her wedding. Said I didn't know anything about being happy." He laughed and glanced up at Padme, who couldn't help but join in. That was Sola. So very forthright in her opinions.

"What I'm trying to say is – does this boy, _Anakin_ is it? – does he make you happy?"

Tears filled her eyes and she nodded, "very much."

Ruwee reached across and took her hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze and Padme felt her heart constrict tightly in her chest at the contact. "And, he's good to you? He treats you well?" She nodded again. "Well, then," he said tenderly, "that's all that matters to me."

Sniffing back tears, she returned his smile, beaming at him through watery eyes, trying to convey how much those words meant to her. "Thank you, dad."

He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it sweetly. "I should like to meet him. Does he visit you as often as you visit him?"

"We take it in turns," Padme informed him. "It's his turn next."

Nodding seriously, Ruwee took back his hand. "Very well. When he next visits, I would like the pair of you to join me for a weekend at the country house. There's no better way to get to know a man than over a friendly hunt, is there?" he chuckled to himself and Padme blinked at him, in total and utter surprise. The country house? Padme hadn't been to the country house in years.

Her father's family were very wealthy and owned a large block of land out in the country. It wasn't a farm, but it was an excellent place to hunt for game; rabbits and pheasants and such. Though Padme was not one for hunting poor defenceless animals, her father enjoyed it immensely. So had Clovis, she remembered bitterly. She had brought him to the country house when they were together, and she could recall him and her father bonding over rifles, talking politics and stocks and other such _aristocratic_ matters that she had never cared for. A thought crossed her mind of how Anakin would react in a situation like that. She was sure he had never hunted before, or used a rifle, and he definitely didn't care for politics. The scene that played out in her mind was one of awkwardness and uncomfortableness and Anakin constantly looking to her for help. _What have I gotten you into, Ani?_

It was then she realised she hadn't answered her father, and blinked her eyes several times, ridding the image from her brain. "That sounds lovely, dad. I'm sure Anakin would love that."

They finished dinner on a much happier and easy note than how they started, and Padme hugged her father goodbye, promising to keep in touch about the country house once she had heard from Anakin. As she was heading back to her dorm room, she noticed she had a missed call from Anakin and she hurriedly rang him back, almost mortified that she hadn't answered his call.

It took a long time for him to answer and before she could even greet him, she heard him yawn loudly through the phone. The sound made her giggle.

"Did I wake you?" she teased.

" _Yes_ ," he responded, his voice thick and heavy with sleep. It was adorable.

"It's only nine-thirty," she chastised him. "How old are you?"

He yawned again. " _M'tired_ ," was his reply, and she could imagine him, lying in bed, eyes half-closed and groggy, looking gorgeous and dopey and _oh_ how she wanted to see him. " _Did you have a safe flight?_ " he asked after a while, once he had gotten control over his yawns.

"No, Anakin. That's why I'm calling you. Because my flight wasn't safe."

She could tell that he was in no mood for dealing with her teasing or sarcasm, but she felt she had earned the right. He had done the same thing to her when she had been hungover. It was only fair.

" _Ha ha ha,_ " he fake-laughed through the phone. " _You're hilarious._ "

"You love me," she quipped back, taking a leaf from his book and throwing such simple, explanations around as though that excused everything. She could practically hear his goofy smirk from the other end.

" _Good thing too,_ " he teased back. " _I don't know who else would put up with you.._ "

She gave a melodramatic gasp. "If that's how you feel, maybe I should leave."

His laugh was so loud she had to hold the phone away from her ear. " _As if you would. As if I would_ let _you. You're mine and you know it._ "

There it was. That honesty disguised by humour that caught her off guard every time. She shuddered at the sound.

"When are you coming here?" she asked, changing the subject before things got out of hand.

She heard the sound of rustling paper and then a very Anakin-like curse and a loud bang, which made her laugh in spite of herself. He'd tripped over something. Again. _Probably his shoes_ , she thought to herself.

" _I dunno, angel,_ " he told her, his voice laced with disappointment. " _I can't get away for two weeks. I'm just so busy right now. And I've got this stupid fucking group assignment…_ "

Her face fell at his words. "Oh." Of course, he was entitled to be busy. He had a life after all. But that didn't mean she wouldn't miss him. Two weeks was an awfully long time.

" _I'm sorry. I wish I could. You know I'd rather be with you,_ " he tried to reassure her to no avail.

"I know, Ani. It's alright. I just… miss you, that's all."

He sighed. " _I miss you too._ "

Trying to lighten the mood, she added, "but hey, it gives you more time to prepare."

" _Prepare for what?_ "

"Meeting my father."

The silence was defeaning. " _W-what?_ " he stammered after a few moments, clearly surprised by the sudden proclamation.

She grinned into the phone. "I know. I'm just as surprised as you. He's invited both of us to stay at the country house."

Anakin scoffed. " _You have a country house? As in a 'I play polo and hunt pheasants and eat scones' kind of country house?_ " His voice turned all proper all of a sudden, with an English accent that made Padme think he'd imitated Obi-wan way too many times.

"Don't make fun," she told him, though she was smirking all the same. "It's actually a nice place."

" _It could be the Whitehouse and I wouldn't care, as long as you're there,_ " he said sweetly, and she felt her cheeks blush, just in time for Dorme to catch her reaction as she opened the door to her dorm room. She waggled her eyebrows at her cheekily and Padme glared at her, before disappearing into her room and shutting the door.

"Well?" she lay down her bed, facing the ceiling. "Are you up for it then?"

" _Sure._ "

"Think about this, Anakin," she said seriously. "An entire weekend. With my father. Doing stupid 'posh' things. _With my father."_

" _You saying I can't hack the rich life?_ " he was teasing, but she could tell he was a little insulted. When it came to his background, Anakin was extremely sensitive.

"No, I'm saying you can't handle my father for that long." Even Padme had trouble dealing with him for more than a day.

The statement only seemed to make Anakin more determined. " _Challenge accepted._ "

Padme rolled her eyes at him, but was grinning madly all the same. "You're such an idiot," she told him affectionately.

" _Yeah, but I'm your idiot._ "

She felt her insides turn to mush at his words. The things he could do to her, even when they were apart. It was like nothing else. "Yeah," she agreed, all gooey and sappy and lovely.

He yawned, straight in her ear. " _Well, as much as I love talking to you, angel, my bed is getting jealous._ "

Laughing, Padme smirked, "I guess I have some competition, then. I'll have to show it who you belong to when you come visit."

" _I look forward to it,_ " and she could practically see his wild grin.

"See you soon?" she said, not wanting to end the conversation because talking to him was the best part of her day, but she could tell he was tired and it wasn't fair to keep him awake for her own selfish purposes.

" _See you soon. Love you_."

Her heart soared at his words. "Love you too, Ani."


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: I live for A/P dialogue. It is my life force. It is basically the reason I'm writing this story - other than the important task of fleshing out their relationship in a realistic and organic way. But honestly, I could just write an entire story about Anakin and Padme interacting with each other and be totally satisfied.**_

 _ **Their relationship is how I envision my future relationships; full of banter and flirtation and sweetness and sexiness and overall adorableness. *gush gush gush***_

 ** _Honestly, they are so perfect for each other it makes my heart ache. I've skipped ahead because I hate writing boring filler and I'm pretty sure most people hate reading it. So, fast forward_**

 ** _That's all from me. I guess I'll leave you to judge for yourself._**

 ** _Enjoy xx_**

* * *

"Is that all you brought?" Padme asked, somewhat incredulous as she glanced at Anakin's relatively small bag. It made her own suitcase, which was securely squeezed in the boot of her car, rather over the top, but she had never been one to pack lightly, particularly during winter. Boots and coats and sweaters tended to take up a lot of room.

Anakin glanced down at his luggage, before shrugging his shoulders, flashing her a smirk. "Not all of us need to take our entire wardrobe with us wherever we go."

She frowned at his tease, which only served to make him laugh and he bent to brush his soft lips against her cheek, dissolving her irritation immediately. Suddenly needy, she slid her hand up the back of his neck, holding him in place, and kissed him urgently, letting the feel of their lips moving together in perfect synchronisation flood her thoughts until all she could focus on was Anakin. Their lips and tongues were allowed to familiarise themselves with each other for several moments, until Anakin decided to break the contact, grinning down at her with those beautiful blue eyes of his.

"You're easy to win over," he quipped, lips curling into a smirk and she hit him in shoulder, but was unable to stop the smile that graced her face. Being around him made her feel like they were meeting again for the first time. Her stomach was riddled with _butterflies_ , her thoughts muddled, shivers trembled up her spine at his very touch. It was ridiculous, but Padme couldn't deny how much she enjoyed such feelings. Their relationship was stuck in that delightful _honeymoon_ period, and she hoped that it would never leave.

"That's what two weeks does to you," she told him icily, even though she knew it was inevitable that they would spend time apart, but she had missed him. Her words stung him, she could tell, and he scooped his arm around her waist, pulling her into his chest and pressed a sweet, delicate kiss to her forehead before tucking her head under his chin. She sighed into the embrace, enjoying the warmth of his hard body against hers, his strong arms around her.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled into her hair. "I couldn't get away sooner."

Padme nodded against him, breathing in his strong, distinct scent, of musk and oil and citrus and _home_. "I know, Ani," she said softly, letting her fingers curl into his sweater, holding him to her as though he was going to disappear. Two weeks. It didn't seem that long, not when Padme looked at her calendar and counted off the days, but it had felt like two months. They had been apart for longer than this before, but it made no difference to Padme. Even a day apart was pure agony. She vaguely wondered if it would always be like this; constantly being apart to only reunite again for a few days, living in fear of not being enough, of their love not being strong enough. It was a constant fear of hers, and no matter how many times she told herself it was silly, those little tendrils of doubt constantly prodded her thoughts.

His hands tightened around her waist, finding a sliver of skin between her sweater and her jeans, gripping her flesh with his long fingers. "I'll make it up to you," he promised low in his throat, skimming his nose down her cheek to nuzzle into her hair. The action caused her to raise up on her toes and she hummed a laugh against him.

"I'm holding you to that, Anakin Skywalker."

He pressed a chaste kiss to the side of her throat before he pulled away, eyes flashing dangerously and she quivered under the intensity of it. "Have I ever disappointed you before?" he raised an eyebrow, words slick with innuendo and Padme couldn't help but flush and she turned her head away, because they still in a public place and she didn't want to be one of _those_ couples that made everyone around them uncomfortable. Anakin didn't seem to notice, or care, about what anyone else thought, and he cupped her cheek fondly, running his thumb over her bottom lip.

"I missed you so much," he whispered with complete infatuation, as though he'd forgotten what she looked like and was trying to memorise every line of her face and at that moment, she felt so utterly adored. His lips found the corner of her mouth, infinitely soft and she parted hers instinctively. "Let's go before I lose my common sense and take you right here," he growled and she nodded her head quickly, her breath caught in her throat at his sudden and intense desire for her.

They broke away, and entwined their hands together, Anakin slung his bag over his shoulder and two of them headed out of the airport. They continually snuck adoring glances at each other on the way, and at one point, Anakin was too busy looking at Padme to watch where he was going and walked straight into a magazine stand. The shop keeper had been horrified and Anakin mortified that he had caused so much damage, but Padme just laughed at him, shaking her head and marvelling at how much she was in love with this man. He was such a child sometimes, but he brought out the child in _her_ , something that thrilled and excited her immensely. She would never, _ever_ , get bored of being around Anakin.

Apart from the mishap with the magazine stand, they arrived at Padme's car without any damage or trail of destruction behind them. It was a Mini Cooper, a gift for her twenty-first birthday from her father, and it was just enough for her. Yet, Anakin's tall frame look rather ridiculous cramped beside her in the passenger seat. As usual, she was subjected to Anakin's jibes about her tiny car, or her _terrible_ driving, or the fact that he would have to sit with his knees up around his head for the entire two-and-a-half our trip out to her father's country house. Padme took them in her stride, laughing them off, because if she was being honest, it was probably one of the things she adored most about Anakin. His constant teasing. His playful banter. The way he could be so light-hearted one moment and then catch her off guard with his honesty and his sweetness.

The drive out to her father's country house was one she had driven many times. The distance was compensated by the beautiful scenery. Padme was more of a beach girl, but she couldn't deny the tranquillity of the wide, open plains and the rolling hills. It was peaceful. Anakin seemed to enjoy it too, for once the drive commenced, he hadn't said a word and merely stared out the window, a look of relaxation on his face. His eyes were lazy half-moons, his hand rested gently on her thigh and a comfortable silence existed between them. Padme felt so at ease in Anakin's presence, and she knew she had the same effect on him. When they were together, all their worries seems to dissipate into nothing and it was just them, basking in each other and the simplicity of it all.

"It's beautiful out here, isn't it?" Padme exclaimed after a while.

"Yeah," Anakin responded dreamily, though he was no longer admiring the scenery and instead, was looking directly at her. She blushed at the sweetness of it. She was never in control of her emotions when he was around. He made her feel like she was a teenage girl again, flushing and stuttering and squirming under his adoring gaze.

"So, are you prepared?" she asked, changing the subject before she exploded under his tender affections.

"For what?"

"Meeting my father."

Anakin laughed, a raw, gorgeous laugh. _Oh_ , how she had missed his laughter. Of course, she had heard it over the phone, but that was nothing compared to being in its presence. It was a whole body experience. Anakin didn't just laugh with his mouth; his eyes crinkled and his nose flared and he tilted his head back and his entire body shook with it. He felt every emotion so _fully_ , so _completely,_ it was incredible to behold. "Damn, I knew I should have made note cards."

She frowned. "Be serious, Ani. My father is not an easy person. He'll interrogate you, and ask you so many questions… what you're majoring in, what you're aspirations are for the future, what your grades are like – "

" – my favourite colour, first childhood pet, social security number," he interrupted her with a smirk, making her roll her eyes. It would be a miracle if Anakin ever took anything seriously. She supposed that was her job. "Don't worry, angel," he assured her. "If I can charm the panties off _you_ , the most difficult woman to charm, I'm sure your father will be a piece of cake."

She turned on him then, expression wide. "Excuse me? You did not _charm the panties off me,_ Anakin _._ "

He grinned slyly. "No? So all those times I made you blush before we got together wasn't because I'm so charming?"

She shook her head stubbornly. "Definitely not."

"What would you call it then?" he persisted, and she realised he wouldn't give up until she admitted it, because he was exactly like her in that regard. The pair of them were irritatingly stubborn.

Padme pursed her lips. "Autonomous biological reaction."

He laughed again, "so, basically, scientific phrasing for _panty-dropping charm."_ She huffed, because he was right, but she didn't want to admit defeat. "Come on, angel, admit it," he teased. "I'm charming."

She scoffed. "I can think of many things that you _are_ , Anakin, but charming is not one of them."

"Devilishly sexy?" he suggested, winked at her.

"I was thinking more along the lines of _pig-headed,_ " she shot back, enjoying the look of shock on his face. "Annoying. Childish. Reckless. Impatient."

He gasped and put a hand to his chest, his eyes wide. "Ouch. My poor ego." he cried in a wounded voice and she flashed him a smirk.

"Aw, do you need me to kiss it better?" she cooed and her insides fluttered as his eyes darkened, pupils dilating as his desire for her resurfaced.

"I would like that very much," he replied, his voice deep and husky and heady and Padme swallowed as she tried to gain her composure.

"Well, it'll have to wait. I'm driving."

"Tease," he said, though when he leant over to kiss her cheek quickly, she knew he didn't mean it. His kiss swiftly turned into two, then three, and then suddenly he was making his sweet, tender way down her neck and she squirmed, trying desperately to concentrate on the road ahead and not the intoxicating softness of his lips against her skin.

" _Ani,_ " she whined, breath hitching a little when he attacked her sweet spot. "I'm trying to drive here."

"Am I distracting you?" he whispered against her skin and it caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand at attention. Before she could respond, he bit down on her flesh, gently, but enough to cause her to jump and she served. Gasping, she recorrected before they drove off the side and snapped her head to glower at Anakin.

"Are you crazy? You almost made me drive off the road!" she yelled at him. Her heart was thumbing loudly against her ribcage, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Sometimes, she swore she could kill him.

His blue eyes danced with amusement and he sat back, resting his arms behind his head casually as though he was lounging on his bed, and not almost crashing to his death. "Crazy about you," he replied simply and she couldn't help but laugh at his response.

Shaking her head, she sighed. "You are going to be the death of me, Ani," she told him, not a single ounce of regret to it, for she was completely bewildered by him and everything he did and she knew that she was in way, _way_ too deep. It was unlike anything else. Being with him was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. He made her feel young, free, _infinite_ , as though anything was possible. Padme never wanted to let go of that feeling.

As the sun sank below the horizon, Anakin drifted off to sleep, resting his head against the window, his breath causing a misty patch on the glass. Padme took that time to admire how gorgeous he was. His long, lanky limbs curled up awkwardly in the small, cramped space, golden hair falling in front of his eyes, mouth open slightly. She memorised the sight of him, capturing the moment, like she did all the other times they were together. He was such a breath of fresh air when awake, so _alive_ and energetic and impulsive. Yet, when asleep, he was so calm and vulnerable. Padme was yet to decide which side of him she liked better. He was as changeable as the weather and it was a constant surprise. Not for the first time, she realised that she was possibly the luckiest girl in the world to call Anakin _hers._

It was just after six-thirty when she eventually pulled up to the large, ornate gates that guarded her father's country house. It was a manor of sorts, impractically enormous, with exquisite gardens and fountains and although it was beautiful, Padme was not interested in such displays of prosperity. The gates opened electronically as she approached them, and she slowly made her way down the gravel driveway, around the elaborate fountain in the centre, to park out the front of the marble steps. She gently shook Anakin awake, and he jolted suddenly, blinking rapidly and rubbed his eyes adorably.

"We're here, Ani," she told him softly.

"I fell asleep," he muttered, a little embarrassed but she returned his frown with a sweet smile.

Suddenly, her door opened, and Padme turned to see her father's valet standing before her, one hand behind his back. "Miss Padme," he greeted her formally, and she felt as though she had stepped back in time. Something about this reminded her of Downton Abbey, and as much as she adored that show, she did not adore the principles that governed it. She was more than capable of opening her own door.

But, not wanting to insult her father, she stepped out. Anakin looked just as confused, as more staff began unpacking their luggage from the boot of her car. He went to help, but Padme shook her head at him, mouthing _let them do their job._ His brows furrowed, but he complied and walked around to stand beside her.

"Um, what?" he muttered, reaching down to take her hand.

"I know, it's a bit much," she replied with a heavy sigh.

Sparing a glance at him, she could tell he was very uncomfortable. Of course he was. He wasn't used to this kind of lifestyle. It was… intimidating. "You never told me you came from _this_ kind of money," he remarked, a little bitterly.

"It's embarrassing, Ani. I… I didn't want you think I was any different to – to you, or anyone else…" she tried to quell his discomfort but could sense she was only making it worse.

"I don't belong here, Padme," he said, deathly quiet and her heart reached out to him. He looked so young in that moment and all she wanted to do was take him in her arms and hold him. But she didn't. She simply squeezed his hand affectionately.

"Hey, it's alright. You'll get used to it." She flashed him a bright smile, hoping to cheer him up, and he returned it half-heartedly, obviously trying to act normal for her sake.

"Don't worry about me," he told her. "I'm fine."

It didn't convince her, but she didn't have a chance to argue with him because her father suddenly approached them, a wide grin on his face. "Padme," he called out and she went into his outstretched arms, kissing him fondly on the cheek.

"Hi, dad," she sighed into his embrace. When they pulled back, his eyes drifted over to Anakin, who was standing uncommonly straight and stoic, looking more serious than she had ever seen him and she tried to catch his eye, to reassure him that everything was going to be alright. The poor thing looked so awkward and uncomfortable that she wanted to take his hand and run away somewhere and make love to him until his anxiety had subsided. For all his talk about being charming, he had retreated in a shell she didn't know he even possessed. "This is Anakin. Anakin Skywalker," she introduced him and Ruwee nodded his head, holding out his hand.

Anakin took it, bowing his head a little. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Naberrie," he said, all formal and polite and so _un_ -Anakin.

"Ruwee," he corrected, giving him a reassuring smile. "I'll have none of this Mr Naberrie business. A man my age doesn't need to sound any older." The jest made Anakin's mouth curl into a smile and Padme's heart surged with affection for her father. He was trying to make Anakin comfortable, to put him at ease. She wanted to hug him.

Anakin offered to help bring the luggage in, and kissed Padme on the cheek chastely, while she followed her father inside. She hadn't been to this house since she was a little girl. It belonged to her grandparents, and she and Sola had stayed here during the winter as children. But it had been years.

"He's a handsome young man, Padme," her father remarked as they stopped in front of the double staircase. "A little quiet though."

Padme sighed sadly. "He's just nervous," she informed him. Anakin was far from quiet. He was one of the most outgoing people she had ever met. He could befriend anything and anyone, with his easy, laid-back nature. She'd never seen him like this before.

That seemed to please Ruwee and he smiled, nodding his head. "Good," he said. "I'm glad. It shows he cares enough about you to be nervous. That's good."

She looked up at him. "Don't be too hard on him, dad," she begged, pleaded, her eyes wide. "He's… he's not used to this kind of _lavishness._ It's a bit overwhelming for him, I think. He's... intimidated."

Ruwee simply shook his head, chuckling. "I'm not going to eat him, Padme, don't worry." When she released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding in, he added, "but, if he wants to be with you, he needs to know who you are. This," he gestured around him, "is part of who you are. If he can't accept that, then…"

Padme nodded, turning her gaze outside to see Anakin helping with the valet to bring everything in. Her father was right, of course he was. This was part of Padme's life, even if she'd decided to disassociate herself from it. She was from a wealthy, upper-class family and she was a fool if she was to deny it. But she still wanted Anakin to be comfortable. She didn't want to spring everything on him all at once and make him feel inadequate.

As though sensing her gaze, Anakin lifted his head and beamed at her and she returned it, filled with pride, because even though he was clearly uncomfortable, he was trying his best, for her sake, and that was more than she could ask of him. _I don't deserve him. I don't deserve him at all._

When he came back inside, accompanied by the valet, Ruwee took them upstairs to show them to their rooms. As they walked, Padme shuffled next to Anakin and wrapped her arm around his waist, stretching up on her toes to kiss his cheek fondly.

"What was that for?" he asked, amused by her sudden affection.

In response, she pressed herself into his side, keeping her gaze fixed on his. "Because I can."

He chuckled and she grinned, happy that he was acting a little more like his normal self. All she wanted was for him to feel comfortable and if that meant sticking by his side for the rest of the trip, then she would do that.

Padme had forgotten how big the house was until she was inside it. The number of rooms was ridiculous, and she was certain they had never all been occupied at the same time, for as long as the Naberrie family had owned it. Eventually, they stopped in front of a room, with a large, spacious bed, freshly lined, pillows puffy and Padme grinned at the thought of snuggling next to Anakin in a bed that actually accommodated both of them. Single bed sleeping wasn't great, especially when Anakin was as tall as he was and took up a lot of room.

"This is your room, Anakin," Ruwee explained. "I hope you'll be comfortable here."

Anakin nodded eagerly, "yes, sir. Thank you."

Ruwee then turned to Padme. "I've had them redecorate your old room, sweetheart," he nodded his head down the end of the corridor. "It's a lot less flowery than it was when you were seven." The way he was smiling made Padme realise he was trying to be sweet, but all she could think was _separate rooms?_ Sparing a glance at Anakin, it was clear that he was thinking the exact same thing. Surely, it was a joke. They were adults, not teenagers.

"You're lucky you arrived when you did, dinner's almost ready," her father continued as though nothing was out of the ordinary, completely oblivious to the silent exchanges between the two of them. "I'll leave you to sort out your things and call you when it's ready."

Padme nodded blindly, forcing herself to smile. Once her father was out of earshot, Anakin gripped her hand and pulled her into his room. His brows were knitted together and there was an ever growing crease in his forehead. " _Separate rooms_?" he growled through clenched teeth, crossing his arms and frowning at her as though it was all her fault.

"I know," she sighed heavily. "Don't look at me like that, Anakin. I didn't ask for this."

He didn't budge. "I haven't seen you in two weeks, Padme," he informed her, like he had been the only one suffering. "He can't expect… I'm mean. I – I've missed you – "

"I've missed you too, Ani," she said, rubbing her temples. "But – "

" – you can't actually be considering this?" he interrupted her, astonished, jaw locked.

She frowned at him. "I don't want to upset my dad," she told him firmly. Her relationship with him was rocky, and she _desperately_ wanted him to warm to Anakin. If that meant sleeping in separate rooms to keep him satisfied, then so be it.

Anakin was having none of it. His body language was stiff and tall and firm. "Padme, we're adults. What does he think we do when we're together?"

"Well, obviously he doesn't want to think about his little girl having… _having sex_ ," she said it in hushed tones, in case someone could hear her, "in his own house." When Anakin merely scoffed in response, she glared up at him, maintaining her firm resolve. "Our relationship is not purely based on sex, Anakin. We can survive for two days."

He met her firm stance with his own, neither one blinking or even speaking for several minutes. At any other time, Padme might have laughed at how stubborn they both were. But right now, she was determined to make a point. A part of her wondered whether she could, actually, survive without sex for two days, knowing that Anakin was just down the hall. Of course, it was different when he was in another state. But here, right under her nose? That was a different story altogether. She was determined to pull through. Padme never shied away from a challenged.

Neither did Anakin, it seemed. He glowered down at her, "Fine. If that's how you want to play, then fine."

"Fine." She stormed out of his room. _Challenge accepted_.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Oh Padme, you never really stood a chance. *insert really terrible Game of Thrones pun about "when you play the game of thrones, you win or you die"***_

 _ **...**_

 ** _I really don't know what goes on in my mind sometimes._**

 ** _Enjoy xx_**

* * *

If she'd known that Anakin wouldn't play fair, Padme might not have agreed to a challenge with him as her opponent. He was annoying aloof for most of the evening, yet his little teasing smirks and sultry glances were enough to turn her into a puddle of wanton desire. Even though her entire body protested, she was stubborn, and determined to outlast him.

They ran into each other on their way downstairs, but he didn't even look at her, his expression stony as he stared straight ahead. It made her want to yell at him, slap him, and then pull him down to her mouth, but she did neither of those things. Instead, to adopted his determined stance, and refused to look at him, either. Their fingers brushed together as they walked and she jerked her arm away, sneaking a glance at him out of the corner of her eye. It was as though nothing had happened, his expression hadn't changed. That only made her frown. Surely, she wasn't the only one affected by his touch? Surely, her touch elicited the same intense emotions as when his fingers brushed her skin? It wasn't fair. He was good. Too good. Padme wasn't pleased.

Once they were downstairs in the dining room, however, the pair of them smartened their act up, at least, they tried. In any case, Ruwee didn't seem to notice the lover's spat between his daughter and her boyfriend.

"Did you want something to drink?" he asked them kindly.

Padme nodded and smiled. "The usual, please dad."

"Anakin? I have beer, scotch, rum, champagne if that takes your fancy?"

Anakin smirked at the suggestion. "Scotch is fine, sir," and he nodded his head. Padme was shocked at his formality, the constant addresses of _sir_ to her father. It was… very attractive. Possibly because Anakin was rarely ever serious like this and it was a welcoming change, not that she didn't enjoy his teasing, light-heartedness. It was just _different._ And she found she liked it. She liked it a lot.

It was then she realised that she had been staring at him, lips parted and pulled up into a fond smile, because he caught her eye, lids hooded and she watched, transfixed, as the tip of his tongue snuck out and ran over the tip of his canine. She wet her own lips in response, because it was just so _hot_ and she felt her cheeks flush with heat. Swallowing awkwardly, she averted her eyes, trying to keep her emotions under control. _Damn you, Anakin_ , she cursed inwardly. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Her father returned, drinks in hand, and Padme took a sip eagerly, letting the bitterness occupy her thoughts and keep her distracted. Because that was exactly what Anakin was. A distraction. A sexy _fucking_ distraction and she couldn't let herself get affected by his obvious intentions.

They sat at the table as dinner was served, a pheasant pie, which made Padme think her father had actually caught the bird that was used, served with roast vegetables and creamy mashed potato and she felt her stomach growl at the sight. The cooks were excellent, and she was reminded of many a time when she was a child, staying with her grandparents and getting over fed, because her grandmother had insisted that her and Sola needed _fattening up._ It was clear that Anakin was impressed at the sight, as well, for he dug in eagerly, a delighted smile on his face.

"So, Anakin," Ruwee began and Padme sighed, she had been waiting for the interrogation to begin. "You study at the University of Chicago, is that right?"

He nodded, swallowing a mouthful of mash potato, before continuing. "Yes, sir."

"What's your major?"

"Mechanical engineering," he replied, "sir," and Padme stifled a laugh into her drink at his little addition of _sir_. It was endearing.

Ruwee seemed impressed by that, nodding his head slowly, a smile breaking out onto his face. Padme was glad. She was so proud of Anakin and she wanted her father to be proud of him too, to respect him and admire him as much as she did.

"Ani's quite exceptional," she informed her father, heart swelling with pride. "He's an expert when it comes to engines and machinery. He can fix almost anything."

Anakin's hand found its way onto her thigh and he squeezed it gently, letting her know that he appreciated her praise. The action was meant to be sweet, and yet there was an underlying sensuality to it, as his fingers slid up and down her thigh, slowly creeping higher and higher and she exhaled sharply in an effort to compose herself.

"That's rather impressive," Ruwee praised him.

Anakin shook his head, "I worked for a few years as a mechanic, sir," all humble and modest, which, again, was so different compared to the arrogance and self-assurance that she was used to. "I like working with my hands."

At his words, his fingers ran over the zipper of Padme's jeans and down further, over the top of where her clit would be and she held in a gasp, kicking his shin in response because there was _no way_ he was doing this right now, with her father sitting across from them. He was not playing fair. She shifted her eyes over to him, narrowing her gaze, letting him know that she was _not_ impressed, but all he did was remove his hand, returning it to the flesh of her thigh. The absolute _nerve_ of Anakin Skywalker.

"Stop it," she hissed under her breath, hitting his hand away from her.

The mischievous glint in his eyes told her that he wasn't anywhere _near_ done, and she would have to put up with this torment until she gave in. Which she wouldn't. No way.

If Ruwee noticed anything, he didn't show it, and simply continued directing the conversation towards Anakin. "Do you have any plans for after you graduate?"

As if he'd memorised a speech, Anakin replied, "I would like to work on military aircraft. I've had a fascination with airplanes ever since I was a kid. It's a bit of a dream of mine, I guess." No matter how annoyed Padme was at him, she couldn't deny how adorable he was at that moment, his eyes light, expression glowing as he talked about his passions.

"That's good," Ruwee encouraged. "It's always good to have something to aspire to." He was impressed. Padme could tell. He was wearing the same expression he had when he'd found out Clovis was studying law. Her heart did a little skip in her chest and she felt utterly relieved. Her father was warming to Anakin. That was all she had wanted.

"So, how did you two meet, then?"

Padme decided to answer this one and give Anakin a break from talking. "Anakin lives next door to mom. We've known each other for a while."

Anakin's hand returned to her thigh once more and he grinned. "Took her a while to warm up to me, though," he smirked, flashing her a teasing smile. On the surface it was light-hearted, but there was that dark, dangerous look in his beautiful eyes that caused her to melt into a puddle and her insides turn to mush. It was this, more than his touch that could fracture her resolve.

He excused himself to go to the bathroom and Padme almost sighed in relief. The tension between the two of them was getting unstable; she could almost feel the heat between them and was surprised that her father remained ignorant to it all. Once he was gone, she began to fidget, eying her father to try and gauge his opinion, biting her lip and wringing her hands together.

"Of, for goodness' sake, Padme, _relax_ " her father sighed, chuckling at her. "I like him."

That was all she needed to hear and she beamed at him. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yes, he's a nice young man. Well-spoken and polite, and rather bright. He reminds me a bit of Rush."

At that comment, Padme scowled, fists clenching against the wood of the table. " _Don't say that,_ " she snarled, rather aggressively, but she couldn't believe the words that had come out of her father's mouth. "Anakin is a thousand times better than Rush Clovis. How _dare_ you compare them!"

Sighing, Ruwee shook his head. "I'm not meaning it in a bad way, sweetheart," he explained softly. "I just mean, when Rush first came here, he was well-mannered and kept calling me 'sir' and well, it's just nice to see Anakin doing the same. It means he was brought up well." And then, in an attempt to assuage her, as she was still quite angry, he added, "he clearly cares an awful lot about you."

Padme nodded, "he loves me." Saying those words seemed to make her a little emotional and she sniffed, feeling tears brimming in the corners of her eyes. "And I love him. He's so good to me, dad, he's so... _wonderful._ "

Ruwee smiled fondly, and Padme swore she could see his glasses fogging up and tears in his eyes. "I'm glad," he said, honestly, his voice thick and slightly broken and she realised he was just as emotional as she was. "I'm so glad to see you happy, sweetheart."

Before she could reply, Anakin returned and resumed his gentle caress of her thigh under the table, but she didn't try to fight it this time. It was useless, really, and if she was being honest, she kind of liked it. It was sweet and sensual at the same time, which aptly described their relationship.

After dinner came dessert, a generous serving of apple crumble and custard, which Anakin wolfed down as though he hadn't just eaten an enormous slice of pie, and then Padme bid her father goodnight. Anakin followed her upstairs and stopped outside her bedroom, giving her a knowing glance. She crossed her arms and frowned at him.

"I can't believe you did that," she scolded him.

"Did what?" he feigned ignorance, though the teasing smirk that pulled at his lips confessed that he knew exactly what she was talking about.

Huffing, she deepened her scowl. "Don't play coy with me, Anakin. I can't believe you would do that… _touch me_ like that, when my _father_ is right across from you! And he thinks you're _well-mannered_?" she scoffed, a little rudely, but she felt it was only right for her to put him in his place.

Anakin simply shrugged. "He didn't know. Besides, it's not as though you didn't enjoy it."

She gasped and took a step back. "If you're arrogant enough to think that I – "

He stepped closer to her, towering over her, his body inches from hers and she could feel the heat radiating from his skin, drawing her closer like moth to flame. " – I could _feel_ you," he interrupted, voice soft so that it didn't carry downstairs. "I could feel how hot you were underneath your jeans. You want me."

Padme was appalled that he would say such things to her, that he was bold enough, but then, that was Anakin. He was bold, and unpredictable and that was what she loved about him. She shook her head stubbornly. "No, I don't," she insisted, but she could already feel her body reacting to his presence, so close to her that she could almost touch him.

"Yes, you do. You want me right now. I can tell," he grinned at her, all smug and arrogant. "You're biting your lip."

It was true. She hadn't even noticed. Again, she internally cursed her body for betraying her so. "That doesn't mean anything." It did. It spoke volumes. "I'm going to bed."

She went to turn, when he gripped her arms, pulled her body flush against him and bent low, so his lips ghosted over the shell of her ear. He wasn't touching her, but she could swear she could feel him and it made her shudder in spite of herself. "It's a cold night, Padme," he murmured, voice all low and gravelly and sexy. "I could keep you warm. If you like."

Her face flushed and she swallowed, forcing herself to step away from him. She was _not_ going to give in to his advances. She was better than this. " _Goodnight, Anakin,_ " she snapped firmly, turning on her heels and entering her bedroom, slamming her door shut. She could hear his laughter outside the door.

She stripped out of her clothes, all flustered and hot and bothered, and she muttered strings of curses under her breath. _Damn_ _you, Anakin._ He was almost cruel, really, in his teasing. He knew how to push every single one of her buttons, not gently, but with a sledgehammer, breaking her guard down and turning her into this wanton, lust-fuelled woman. She tried to take her mind off him, to think of something else, _anything else_ , but she couldn't. Only one thought was clear in her mind. Anakin.

She could hear the water running from the bathroom next door as Anakin took a shower and suddenly, her thoughts were consumed by images of his glorious body, naked and dripping wet as rivets of water cascaded down his broad shoulders, his chiselled abdomen, his long athletic legs and she bit her lip in anticipation. Her thighs rubbed together instinctively, craving friction and she let her hand wander down underneath her underwear. It surprised her how wet she was, already, just at the mere thought of him, and when she ran a finger experimentally over her throbbing clit, she felt bolts of pleasure shoot up her spine and she arched her back unconsciously. She needed him. She needed him so, so badly, and regardless of the stupid game they had going on, she couldn't deny her _need_ for him any longer.

Reaching over, she grabbed her phone and aggressively typed the message; **I need you. Now.**

It was two minutes and thirty-seven seconds – not that Padme was counting – before Anakin appeared at her door, leaning against the door frame, his hair wet, his face smug and she actually _whined._

"Well, well, well," he teased, annoyingly victorious, but all Padme could concentrate on was how his skin was shining delectably from the shower, as though he hadn't dried himself properly in a hurry to get to her. "Look who caved. And it wasn't even a day."

She growled, crawling to the edge of her bed and as he approached her, she gripped his shirt roughly, pulling him against her to aggressively mash her lips against his. He laughed into her mouth, but she was in no mood for his teasing. She was so, _so_ , desperate for him, so embarrassingly needy and she needed release. Now.

"Shut up," she hissed into his mouth, her teeth scraping along his lips as she pulled him down on top of her. "Shut up and take my clothes off."

Anakin grinned in compliance, pushing her back amongst the pillows and, never breaking the kiss, began to unbutton her flannelette pyjama shirt with deft fingers. Whilst he occupied himself, Padme tugged up his long-sleeved shirt, stopping the kiss just enough to yank it over his head, before crushing her mouth back against his. She was needy. She was possessive. But she didn't care because he felt so good and he tasted so good and it was exactly what she needed.

"You know," he muttered as he tore her shirt away from her, exposing her naked chest to him. "I could be really cruel and just leave."

She bit his lip harshly, feeling the taste of his blood on her tongue. "Don't you dare, Anakin Skywalker," she growled. "Don't be a bad sport. Come and _oh_ – " she broke away breathily when he pulled her pyjama pants off her and rubbed her through her underwear, " – claim your victory."

He grinned above her, so _fucking smug_ that she wanted to slap that grin off his face, or, she would have if she wasn't so pent up with lust. He tugged her underwear down and threw them over his shoulder unceremoniously, smirking, all sexy above her and she bit her lip in anticipation. "It would be my pleasure."

Anakin swiped a finger along her wetness, gathering her arousal and, in an act of pure eroticism, brought it up to his mouth making Padme whimper. " _Fuck,_ angel," he moaned, eyes dark. "You're so fucking wet." His hand returned to her throbbing sex and she undulated her hips into his hot touch. "What were you thinking about to get you this wet, huh?"

"You, Ani, always _you_ – " her voice became a strangled gasp when he flicked her swollen clit. Bolts of pleasure shot straight up her spine, painful and wonderful, and she squeezed her eyes shut. Then, without waiting for her to recover, he plunged two fingers inside her and she cried out at the sudden, but deliciously pleasant, intrusion. It wasn't enough, though. It wasn't nearly enough. She needed more. She needed – " _don't_ … tease me…" she begged him. "I need… I-I need to – "

Anakin just quirked an eyebrow. "Say it," he whispered, low and husky, dragging his teeth across her ear causing her to shudder. "Say it."

Padme knew what he wanted her to say, but she shook her head, flushing with embarrassment, because she'd never _talked_ like that before. "I-I can't," she almost wailed when he curled his fingers inside her.

"Yes you can, angel," he encouraged with a delicate kiss to the base of her jaw. "Tell me. Tell me what you need. I'll give it to you." He sucked gently at the hollow of her throat, as if reiterating his promise. "Just _tell me_." His voice was strained, and she knew he was just as aroused as she felt. The firm bulge of his erection was pressed against her thigh as he worked her with his fingers, coaxing her to do as he asked. And then, he stopped. Left her tittering on the edge of oblivion and she mewled, rutting up against his hand, begging him to continue. "Say it," he repeated again, more forcefully than before, nipping her skin.

" _Ani,_ " she sobbed, desperate for release. "I n-need to… _come_."

That seemed to be what Anakin was waiting for, because he moaned, _"yes"_ , and kissed her hard, resuming his ministrations, his tongue moving in tandem to the pumping of his fingers inside her wet, welcoming sex. All it took was a hard press of his thumb against her clit and she fell apart, seeing stars behind her closed lids, crying into his mouth, her entire upper body lifting off the bed with the power of her climax. With a great shudder, she slumped back down amongst the pillows, her eyes half-closed and cloudy with satisfaction. That was it. That was what she needed. A lazy grin on her face, she stroked Anakin's hair, praising him, thanking him, as he removed his fingers from inside her.

"There you go, angel," he said tenderly. "I told you I'd give you what you want."

She nodded her head, not really concentrating as she came down from her high. "And what do you want, Ani?" she asked, still seeing stars but she felt as though he deserved a reward for his brilliant work. He was the victor, after all. He had earned it.

He didn't reply, but simply kissed her until her lips were swollen and sore. When he pulled away, his eyes were so dark they were almost black with lust as he stared at her intently, pupils dilated. "I want to be inside you."

The way he was so bold in his demands turned Padme on more than anything else and she trembled, biting her lip, never once looking away from his intense gaze. "I'm yours," she whispered, widening her legs underneath him in offering but he shook his head.

Rocking back onto his knees, he nodded, eyes hooded with desire. "I'll be right back."

While he was gone, she decided to be bold, and draped herself as seductively as she could manage on her side, letting her arm fall over her waist and propped herself up on her elbow. It was a little daunting, lying there, naked, in her father's house, but she couldn't help but thrill at the thought of it. It excited her. _Ani, what have you turned me into?_

A part of her was ashamed that she had caved so easily. It was embarrassing to think that she couldn't even last a few hours in Anakin's presence without turning into a wanton pool of arousal, but her desire for him was something she couldn't quite explain. It was intense and almost frightening in its power and yet she gave into it willingly, embraced it fully and completely because it was so, _so_ good every time.

Anakin returned after a few moments, though it was longer than she had expected. He kicked off his pants as soon as he closed the door and his cock twitched at the sight of her as he rolled a condom over his length. The action made Padme wet her lips in anticipation. She couldn't deny the effect of his naked form; he was almost god-like in his perfection, dripping with raw masculinity and she eyed him shamelessly, drinking in the glorious, tanned skin and long, lean muscle.

"God, you're so fucking gorgeous," he growled, stalking towards her with predatory intent and she shivered, ever the victim of his possessive stare. Crawling over her, he kissed her deeply before sliding down beside her, pressing his chest against the curve of her back.

"What took you so long?" Padme asked as she turned her head to look at him, shuffling back against his warm skin.

He cupped a breast with one hand and sighed into her hair. "I ran into your dad."

Padme paled, stiffening. "Oh no…" She felt him chuckle against her and frowned. How could Anakin possibly find that funny? Did he actually take _nothing_ seriously? "What… what happened? Did he – ?" If he knew, if he had heard them before? She felt sick at the thought.

" _Relax_ , Padme," Anakin shushed her, letting his fingers gently caress her nipple before trailing lower, circling her navel in an almost calming way and she softened, letting her head rest back upon his shoulders. "I told him I just went to tell you goodnight. Waited 'til he was in his room before I came back out."

"He didn't hear us before, did he?" she dared to ask, thinking she could never look her father in the eye again if he had.

"No," Anakin assured her, running his nose along her neck. "He was downstairs."

Biting her lip, Padme closed her eyes, inhaling sharply. It felt wrong, to lie to her father, after he was being so good to her. She felt incredibly guilty, but the feeling of Anakin hardening against her backside made it difficult to concentrate on much else. "Ani, we… we _shouldn't_ ," she began, her voice trailing off at the feel of his wet lips sliding down the back of her throat.

"I know," he breathed on her skin and his lingering fingers found her clit and she trembled uncontrollably. "But that makes it more exciting, don't you think."

He shifted his knee between her legs and she felt his hardness press against her soaking folds and she whimpered at the contact, desperately craving him even though she knew she shouldn't. Not here, _especially_ not here. "We shouldn't," she protested again but her attempts were pathetic because Anakin was sucking on her sweet spot and his fingers were rubbing her gently and her thoughts clouded over and she couldn't think, she couldn't breathe.

Anakin paid her no mind, continuing to feast upon her neck with ravenous hunger. "I want you like this," he whispered and his rough voice made her squirm against him. "Will you let me?"

The sensations were driving Padme mad. Anakin was everywhere. "Please _,_ Ani, _please,_ " she heard the words fall from her lips in a desperate plea, as though she was no longer in control of her speech.

His hand came up to cover her mouth. "We have to be quiet. Can you do that, angel?" In response, she nodded her head and pressed a kiss to his palm, her eyes half-closed with her wanton lust for him. Then, his lips were at her ear and he muttered, "good girl," before sliding into her, and the invasion was so exquisite that she arched her back, pressing her backside hard against his hips and bit her lip to keep from crying out.

Anakin grunted against her skin to muffle the sounds of his pleasure as he drove his hips into her harder and harder. His grip on her mouth became rougher with each thrust and she closed her eyes, pushing her hips back to meet him each time. It was different like this, he was deeper somehow, but it was the fact that they had to be silent that made it so enticing. It was exhilarating, and Padme found herself extremely aroused by that fact, even though she shouldn't.

He came first, powerfully, and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her impossibly close to him as her release followed blissfully. "I love you, Padme" he murmured into her hair. "You're all I need."

She closed her eyes, feeling warm all over, his honesty washing over her soul like the calming ocean she adored so much. Taking one of his hands in hers, she brought it to her lips, kissing each finger softly, expressing how much he meant to her in just the simplest of touches. It was these beautifully sweet moments, usually the moments they spent together post-sex, when they were far too exhausted to do anything but lie in each other's arms, that Padme enjoyed the most.

"Mmm," she sighed happily. He pressed a sweet kiss to her neck, before shifting, removing his arms from around her and she gave a small squeak in protest, blinking at him. "Where are you going?"

"You said that we should sleep in different rooms," he reminded her. "And I don't want to upset your dad either."

Padme huffed petulantly, and took hold of his arm, flinging it down across her body and wriggled her ass into the crook of his hips. The action caused her to gasp, as he was still inside her, and she clenched around him instinctively, causing him to groan. " _No_ ," she persisted, stubbornly. "Don't leave, Anakin. I – I want you to stay. I've missed you."

Anakin paused. "But what about your dad."

"Leave in the morning, before he wakes up," she told him, the thought just occurring to her. "Just… stay with me, Ani. Please."

Anakin relented, curling against her back and kissed her shoulder. "How can I ever refuse you?"

Padme hummed happily, snuggling into his warm skin, feeling more content and relaxed than she had in two weeks. _This_ was where she belonged, with Anakin's arms around her and his lips against her skin and his scent filling her senses. It felt like home.

As she dozed, in that blissful state in between deep sleep and quiet daydreams, she felt his breath at her ear, hot and moist and then, in smug tones, Anakin whispered, "I win."

Her eyes snapped open and she groaned, turning her head to frown at him. His teasing smile was millimetres from her own and his eyes shimmered with amusement. "You're such an asshole," she told him.

Grinning wider, he winked at her. "I never said I would play fair." When she simply huffed in reply, he laughed. "Don't take it to heart, angel," he continued, finding the entire situation hilarious, much to her irritation. "It's not your fault you find me irresistible. Everyone does. It's almost not fair, really."

Padme rolled her eyes at him. That ego; it was unbelievable sometimes. But she couldn't deny the underlying truth. Where Anakin was concerned, Padme was weak, and as much as she hated to admit, she couldn't refuse him. "Shut up," she told him, because that was the best she could come up with without actually admitting he was right.

It only served to make Anakin even more smug. "That just proves my point."

"You're never going to let me live this down, are you?" she sighed, but her lips curled into a smirk all the same, without her authority.

And then Anakin kissed her, lightly, teasing, just a soft brush of his lips against hers, but it was enough for her to stretch her neck, chasing the kiss. "Never."

Padme fell asleep in Anakin's arms, a dopey smile on her face.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Communication between A and P in the prequels was a massive issue in their relationship, but I actually liked that because it showed a flaw in their otherwise perfect-ness. I've tried to adopt that ideal in this story. They both hide things from each other, not out of malice, but out of love. Hopefully, you'll see this later on in this story. There are things they don't say - or at least, struggle to say, and it causes a few issues. You'll see what I mean.**_

 _ **Also, for those who haven't read The Boy Next Door, I reference some things that happened in that story arc in this chapter. Just a pre-warning, if you don't understand what's going on.**_

 _ **Thanks so much for all the support so far! It seriously means so much to me :)**_

 _ **Enjoy xx**_

* * *

Padme woke to the sound of Anakin groaning and trying to discretely remove his arm from underneath her body. It was endearing, really, because she knew he was desperately trying to be quiet and not wake her, but it was clear that he was uncomfortable. Giggling, she shuffled out of his arms and turned onto her back, head turned to watch him. Anakin sighed with relief and flexed his arm gingerly.

"Dead arm?" she asked softly, letting her fingers caress the curve of his bicep, the crease of his elbow, the lean muscle of his forearm.

He nodded, before his entire face screwed up into a large yawn, mouth opening wide, and Padme couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous expression on his face. Shaking his head, allowing strands of golden hair to fall into his eyes, he stretched out, crossing his ankles and throwing his right hand behind his head in an easy pose. "I'm sorry, angel. I didn't mean to wake you _._ Just I couldn't feel my arm."

She smiled at him and let her fingers circle his outstretched palm, still half-asleep. "S'alright, Ani," she assured him sleepily. He curled his hand around her exploring fingers, giving them a gentle squeeze and she watched their hands for a while, marveling at how small and delicate hers looked wrapped up in his large, tanned one. Anakin brought her hand up to his lips and rubbed them over her knuckles in such a sweet, tender action that made her blush, before he released her and slung his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side.

Padme snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his chest and released a soft sigh of contentment. He was always so _warm,_ and the chill of the early morning made her press herself eagerly against him, craving that delicious heat, sliding her feet along the length of his calf. He jolted and gasped at the contact, hissing, "your feet are freezing."

Nodding, she hitched her leg up over his thigh. "Mmm, Ani, you're so warm," she hummed against his skin and he laughed, his hand coming to rest in her tangled, sleep-messy curls. They lay like that for several blissful minutes, and Padme dozed, not quite asleep, acutely aware of the lulling thud of Anakin's heart beating steadily away underneath her ear and the slow rise and fall of his chest. It was always reassuring to wake up in his arms, just to know that he was with her again. "My personal hot water bottle."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're just using me for my body," he teased.

Padme simply responded with a scoff, that turned into a snort and she was suddenly overwhelmed with a fit of giggles, unable to make the quick remark that dangled on the tip of her tongue. She felt Anakin rumble with laughter underneath her and his hand cupped her cheek, tilting her head to look at him. The adoration dancing in his eyes, impossibly blue in the early morning light that spilled through the curtains, made her flush. His thumb lightly stroked her cheek and she closed her eyes, sighing into the touch.

"Smooth," he whispered affectionately and bent his head a little to kiss her when she yawned straight into his mouth. Embarrassed, she blushed and turned her head away, muttering apologies but Anakin shook his head, beaming at her. "God, you're so adorable in the morning."

His words warmed her from the inside out, the sweetness of it turning her into a puddle of goo before him. Anakin affected her on such a deep level with everything he did. His words, his actions, his very _being._ Padme didn't think she could ever be more in love.

"Ani…" she asked after a while. "What's the time?"

She felt him shift lightly, his arm momentarily leaving her shoulders, before he settled back down beside her. "Almost six."

Nodding against him and nuzzling into his chest, she sighed sadly, because she knew he would have to leave. Her father was an early riser, and if he wasn't up yet, he would be soon. "You should probably go," she muttered, though her body language told him otherwise. Her eyes fluttered closed and she heard him mumble in response but the only thing she was concentrating on was his _warmth._

Anakin's body shook with quiet laughter again and she felt his hand rest on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Are you going to let me leave?"

With a huff, she untangled her limbs from around his body, letting one eye drift open to watch him sit up and swing away from her. As he rose to his feet, she took pleasure in admiring his nude form shamelessly displayed before her before quickly shuffling into the warmth left behind by his body. Once again, she heard his gorgeous laughter while he tugged on his pants and then, suddenly, he was beside her, reaching out to stroke her hair lovingly. "I love when you're like this," he told her, quietly.

She gave him a lazy smile before turning her head to press a sweet kiss to his palm. "Like what?" she asked through a soft yawn.

Anakin kneed down on the bed gently, trying not to rock her, and captured her lips in a tender kiss. "All sleepy and gorgeous like this," he replied. "It's cute."

His hair tickled her cheeks and she reached up with both hands, curling her fingers around the locks, forcing him to kiss her again, their mouths moving languidly against each other's in such an easy, familiar way. When they eventually pulled apart, they brushed their noses together and Anakin beamed at her. Padme felt so adored by the way he was looking at her and she felt her cheeks redden and heat flush from her face down to her chest.

"Anakin," she called to him as he made to leave and he glanced back at the sound of her voice. "Thank you for – you know…" her words were swallowed by another incredible yawn that made her eyes water.

"Go back to sleep, angel," he said, fondly. "I'll see you later."

Grinning madly, overwhelmed with affection, she snuggled further into the bed, bringing the heavy covers up to replace the warmth of Anakin's body. Though it was not the same, Padme fell asleep almost instantly, snoozing soundly for another two hours until her alarm went off.

Once she'd showered and dressed, she headed downstairs to see her father sitting at the dining table, newspaper in front of him and a cup of coffee resting in his hand. He looks up as she approached and bid her _good morning,_ before offering her some breakfast. Padme settled for a cup of tea and sat down on the adjacent seat, reaching out her hand, silently asking for the political section of the newspaper. The two of them settled into the familiar morning routine, remaining silent but enjoying each other's company. Padme had developed her passion for politics from her father, who was a man with strong opinions and views on the subject. Whenever she stayed with him, they engaged in many friendly – and sometimes heated – debates on the state of the world, the economy and other such things. It was one thing she enjoyed about her father. Her mother had never cared much for politics.

Anakin came downstairs ten minutes later and took a seat opposite Padme.

"Good morning, Anakin," Ruwee greeted him. "Did you sleep well?"

Anakin met her eyes, a knowing glint in them, and she gave him a small smirk in return, before he nodded. "Yes, sir. One of the best sleeps I've had in weeks."

Smiling into her tea, Padme took a sip before she started laughing at Anakin's lack of subtly. It was definitely not one of his defining features. Luckily for the both of them, Ruwee didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary and merely asked Anakin if he wanted tea or coffee. Anakin chose coffee, then proceeded to lean across the table on his elbows and read her news clipping upside down. She clicked her tongue and raised her eyebrows at him, before huffing and continued to read. Sometimes he could act like such a child.

"What are you reading?" he asked after a while, clearly bored.

"The newspaper, Anakin," she sighed. "Surely you've come across those before." When he simply frowned at her sarcasm, she smiled, "would you like to read it?"

He paused, glancing back and forth between her and her father, as though he was missing out on some sort of joke. Padme realised that this probably looked very odd to him. She doubted that such routines went on at his house in the morning. Normally, Anakin woke and then went straight out to his garage to start tinkering with something. As brilliant as his mind was, he was no intellectual. The poor thing must have felt very out of his depth.

"What takes your fancy?" Ruwee asked, trying to make him feel comfortable. "We've got finance, global news, home and design, art and fashion, sports…"

Stricken, he looked back at Padme, who gave him a reassuring smile. _It's okay,_ she mouthed at him and he nodded and swallowed before requesting the sports section. The three of them read in silence for a while, and Padme absorbed the political news eagerly. There was an election due at the end of next year and she was curious to read about the different candidates and their proposed policies.

"So," Ruwee began, folding away his newspaper and signalling for breakfast. "I was thinking we could go out shooting today, Padme, what do you think? Show Anakin a bit of the country life?"

Smiling, she nodded. "That sounds fine, dad. We could have a picnic out there, or something?"

Ruwee considered the suggestion for a few seconds and then nodded. "Yes, that will do. I'll get Emma to make something up for us. Anakin?" he then turned to him, "Padme tells me you've never gone shooting before."

Once again, Anakin looked to her, though this time it was not a look of fondness. It was surprise, and hurt and even a hint of betrayal, which she didn't understand. Why was he looking at her like that?

"Uh, no sir," he responded after a while, a little tentatively and Padme frowned at his sudden, and unexpected change in demeanour. "I haven't."

Ruwee only nodded his head, smiling. "Not to worry. You'll get the hang of it."

Anakin inclined his head in response but didn't speak for the rest of breakfast. It confused Padme immensely. What had happened to his soft, endearing affection that he had showed her that morning? Why was he acting so cold and stiff and awkward again? Surely, it couldn't simply be because of her father. Ruwee was being nothing but friendly and welcoming. It had to be something else. And she was determined to find out.

When they had finished breakfast, she took Anakin aside into one of the sitting rooms at the other end of the house and raised her eyes at him, hands on her hips. "What was that all about?" she demanded of him.

"Why did you tell him that?" Anakin glared at her, his arms crossed and a sullen look on his face.

"Tell him what?"

"That I've never shot a rifle before? Why did you feel the need to tell him that, Padme?"

She groaned at how melodramatic he was being. "He _asked_ me, Anakin. What? Did you want me to lie?"

He frowned. "Now you've gone and made me look weak."

"Ani…" she sighed, shaking her head at him. "He doesn't think you're weak. He just knows you had a different upbringing to me, that's why he asked. Stop being so dramatic."

Anakin remained firm, pouting at her and she might have laughed at him if he wasn't acting so ridiculous. "Do you know how to use a rifle?" he demanded.

Padme blinked up at him in surprise. "Of course." It only served to make Anakin's eyebrows knit together. "Dad used to take Sola and I out shooting all the time when we came here. So did my grandfather. You can't grow up in this family without knowing how to shoot." They had never hunted animals, but they knew how to shoot targets. She'd been surprised by how quickly she had gotten the hang of it. She hardly missed.

"Well, that's just _perfect_ ," Anakin growled.

She couldn't believe this. He was acting like a child. "Anakin," she put her head in her hands. "It's not a big deal. _Honestly_ , why are you being like this?"

His fists clenched and he went to tug at his hair, but he stopped himself. There was something tormenting him, she could tell, and he quickly averted her lingering gaze. She regarded at him in concern; he was biting his lip and there was something in his eyes that worried her, a sadness that she couldn't place. "I – I" he went to say, and then caught himself and inhaled sharply.

"Ani…" Padme said softly, reaching for his hand. "What is it?"

He opened his mouth, beginning to speak, before shutting it and shaking his head stubbornly. "Nothing." She watched, incredulous, as he turned to leave. _No_. This wasn't over. He couldn't just leave without explaining himself. That's not how it worked.

With a snarl, she took his arm roughly and tugged on his, forcing him to stop. "No, Anakin," she snapped, annoyed at his behaviour. "You can't just say something like that and then walk away!"

He yanked his arm out of her grip, his expression hard and she returned it, crossing her arms and frowning at him. "I don't want to talk about it, alright?"

She shook her head, growing more and more angry. "No, it's not alright!" she argued. "You can't do this, Anakin. You need to _talk_ to me. That's how relationships work!"

He frowned down at her, eyes narrowed, but she remained firm because she could be just as stubborn as him and wasn't going to let him leave until he had explained himself. It wasn't fair. She tapped her foot on the ground for emphasis, urging him to spill whatever it was he was holding back. "Feel free to take your time," she drawled sarcastically. "I have all day."

"Ugh," he groaned, this time he was the one with his head in his hands. "Why are you so – ?"

"Don't make this my fault," she told him, bitterly. "If you actually told me what you're feeling, we wouldn't have this problem."

"There are some things you just don't need to talk about."

Obviously, the stern approach wasn't working. It was only making him shut down and retreat under his bruised ego. But Padme was determined. She was going to get to the bottom of this, one way or another. Softening her features, she stepped closer to him, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it gently. "Ani," she begged, voice infinitely soft. "When are we going to start being honest with each other?"

His resolved crumbled under her penetrating gaze. "You'll think it's stupid," he muttered, cheeks flushing a little.

Shaking her head, Padme flashed him a shy smile. "No, I won't," she promised. "Tell me."

He inhaled deeply, eyes closing for the briefest of moments, before he opened them, blue eyes completely sincere. "I…I just want – I want to prove myself. Prove that I'm…" he broke off and rubbed the back of his neck, like he did whenever he was nervous or unsure. "That I'm good enough for you."

 _Oh, Anakin._ She'd almost forgotten how insecure he was sometimes; she hadn't seen this side of him for months. The sight of him, like this, reminded her of when he had confessed his dark past to her. Padme had fallen in love with him that day, she just hadn't known it back then. And here he was, standing vulnerably before her, and if she wasn't in so deep already, she possibly would have fallen in love with him again. Her heart surged with affection and she beamed up at him through moist eyes, letting her hand trail up his arm to rest on the side of his face.

He swallowed. "See, this is why I didn't want to tell you," he grumbled. "I hate when you look at me like that."

At his words, she tilted her head to the side, suddenly confused. "Like what?"

"Like I'm something that needs fixing."

And just like that, her heart broke. She pulled him down to her and kissed him, hard, passionately, _desperately,_ because she needed him to understand that she wasn't pitying him. She was simply in love with him. It was too much, and she felt tears slide down her cheeks, spilling onto his face, and he broke away suddenly, wiping them away with his thumb and regarded her with concern.

"Why are you crying?" he asked.

She sniffed, shaking her head at him, and balled her hands into fists against his chest. "Because," she cried through sobs. "You can be so, so… _infuriating_ sometimes, Anakin." He didn't say anything and just wrapped his arms around her. "You don't need to _prove_ anything."

"You deserve someone who's… well - perfect, Padme. And I'm not that. I'm far from that."

This was starting to remind her of their conversation the last time they had been together. She almost laughed. What was it about the two of them that they thought each other deserved better? Lifting her head, she locked her eyes firmly onto his, making sure she had his attention. "I don't want you to be perfect, Ani," she told him. "I just want _you_. As you are. Right now." She splayed her hands on his chest, feeling his breaths beneath her palms and felt his heart quiver under her touch.

Eventually, the tiniest of smiles pulled at his lips and she beamed in triumph. "Flaws and all?" he asked, softly.

Padme nodded her head. "Flaws especially," and she stretched up on her toes and kissed his lips briefly. His expression brightened and she sighed happily, glad he was finally coming to his senses. "Come on," she took his hand, leading him upstairs. "Let's get ready to go."

It was a cold day, threatening to rain from the look of the overcast sky, but nothing could put a damper on her father's attitude. He was elated, happier than Padme had ever seen him and it made her smile. She was glad that this trip was turning out to be a success. If she was being honest, she had been anxious about it for about a week, worried that her father wouldn't like Anakin or approve of their relationship. It meant the world to her, that two people she loved so much were getting along. It gave her high hopes for the future.

They set out around ten and Padme offered to teach Anakin how to shoot properly, something he had said he found _extremely sexy._ As with everything, he was a fast learner, and picked up the skill quickly, soon becoming a natural, which impressed Ruwee considerably. Padme watched Anakin in complete amazement. He always managed to surprise her and she regarded him fondly as she watched him hit the practice targets with ease. What on earth had he been so worried about? A part of her found his insecurities endearing, and it only served to make her feel better about her own. They were both hopeless.

Padme decided to let the men have their fun and simply sat by, watching them. It was only fair to let them bond by themselves, without her interfering. Besides, from this angle, she could admire Anakin in peace without being teased.

"How long have you been at the University of Chicago for?" Ruwee asked as he loaded bullets into his rifle.

"Just started this semester, sir," Anakin replied. "It's a really great school. I never thought I'd ever get to experience college life." His humble smile was so gorgeous that Padme couldn't look away from it. It lit up his entire face and made everything around him so much brighter. And there was this look of pride in his eyes that was intoxicating. Anakin was breathtaking.

"Why not? You're a bright young man. School must have been a breeze."

Padme watched Anakin's reaction cautiously, gauging for anything that might make him upset. However, to her surprise, he handled himself well, nodding his head solemnly. "School wasn't exactly my top priority when I was a teenager, I'm afraid. It wasn't until I met Padme that I even thought about college." His eyes landed on her and she grinned proudly at him.

Ruwee paused at that comment, and Padme watched him intently, noticing the slight quiver in his left eyebrow and the crease in his forehead deepen, as though he was deep in thought. Something about that expression concerned her

"I see," he muttered.

Padme intervened before her father could ask any more questions, feeling suddenly defensive. There was just something… she could sense that something bad was about to happen. "Ani's got a scholarship," she told her father proudly.

"Really? That's impressive…" his voice broke off again, that look of concentration on his face, before continuing, "you would know know my friend, Qui-Gon Jinn, then. He's the Dean of Students there."

Anakin nodded his head, eagerly. "Yes, sir. He's the one who organised my enrollment."

"Yes. I think I remember him telling me about you."

Padme froze. _Oh no._ Anakin needed to stop talking. Now. Or he was going to give away his secret… Padme's secret. She remembered when she'd first gone to her father, asking for help about a 'friend' enrolling in college even with a criminal record. She hadn't told him it was Anakin she was trying to help, but even then, Ruwee had been very adamant about his disproval of her associating with someone like… well, _that._

But she hadn't told Anakin that. She didn't know why, she just hadn't. And now she was blindly leading him into a trap. Ruwee was clever, surely he was piecing the information together, or if he hadn't already, he would. And Anakin had no idea what was coming. She wanted to jump up and tell him to stop talking, but she couldn't without raising suspicion. Instead, she tried to catch his eye, but for once, he wasn't looking at her, and instead, was telling her father all about how much he had appreciated Padme's help.

Horrified, Padme watched her father's expression change from one of interest to one of confusion and then, suspicion. _No._ She cursed herself for being so stupid. She should have warned Anakin. She should have _told him_ how her father had reacted when she'd contacted him all those months ago. But she hadn't. And now it was too late.

Panicking, she called Anakin over, under the pretence of asking him to help her take apart her rifle. As he approached, she pulled him down to her level, keeping her eyes fixed to the ground.

"What is it?" he asked her, confused by her behaviour. "What's wrong?"

"You need to stop talking," she warned him through clenched teeth as her fingers worked.

Anakin just cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean, _stop talking_?"

Sighing in frustration, she hissed, "just do what I say Anakin. Stop talking about college, and me. You can talk about anything else, I don't even care what, but not that. Alright?"

He scrutinised every inch of her face before his eyes widened in understanding. "He can't know… that's impossible," he insisted in complete denial, voice shaky. "You didn't tell him about me… did you?"

Padme swallowed, biting her lip. "Not _everything,_ no," she conceded.

He exhaled heavily, breath trembling. "Padme… what does that mean?"

She didn't respond. She felt sick. She couldn't even look at him, because she felt so terrible that she hadn't given him any warning. That feeling of dread resurfaced, the feeling that had cast a shadow over the entire outing. Luckily, before anything could be said, it started to rain and Padme had never been more grateful to being drenched to the bone in her life.

An awkward silence existed between all three of them as they sat in the sitting room, in front of a fireplace, drying their clothes, boots, socks and hair. Padme's eyes constantly flickered between Anakin and her father and she hugged her knees to her chest, her hands shaking. The suspense was killing her. She was waiting for her father to pounce, but all his did was sit passively in front of the fire, cleaning his glasses methodically.

To ease the tension, Padme tried for small talk, complimenting her father's shot, the outing, anything. Ruwee only answered in mild interest and soon, she just gave up. Anakin was no better. He stared sullenly at the fire, flames dancing in his eyes, and when she tried to engage him, he answered with one-syllable responses. Rubbing her temples, she stretched out her legs, wondering what to do next, when Ruwee finally spoke.

"Padme," he began, voice very soft. "When did you and Anakin get together?"

She paused and cleared her throat before replying, "almost six months ago."

Closing his eyes, Ruwee sighed deeply. "And was that before or after I forbade to associate with someone who has a criminal record?" His voice was sharp and cold, laced with betrayal. Anakin's head snapped up at the comment, eyes unnaturally wide and Padme's breath caught in her chest. _So he did know._

With a trembling voice, she responded, voice deathly quiet. "After," and Ruwee's frown deepened, his jaw locking. He was angry. But not only that. He was hurt. She could tell just by his expression. When he eventually opened his eyes, he trained his stony gaze on Anakin, all previous warmth gone and replaced by a cold distrust.

"Leave us," he ordered, and Anakin was not foolish enough to question him. Sparing a look at Padme, he hurriedly got to his feet and went upstairs, leaving Padme alone with her father.

She gulped nervously.

Why, oh why, had she not seen this coming?


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Sorry for taking a little longer to update. I've been so incredibly busy (just started a new job and all, plus Christmas shopping, plus my cousin is getting married on the weekend). Anyway, this is a longer chapter so I hope that makes up for it. And it's full of feels. You're welcome. xx**_

* * *

The silence was deafening and the tension so thick in the air, Padme began to feel claustrophobic. Her eyes darted across the patterned rug, flicking into the fire and back to her shaking fingers. Anywhere but at her father. He was deathly quiet, as still as a statue, and she couldn't even hear him breathe. Not that she was going to look at him to check. Her stomach squirmed uncomfortably and she shifted, restless and nervous. Why wasn't he saying anything? Anakin had left the room three minutes ago – Padme had counted every second in her head to give her something else to think about other than the _fear_ that her father had found out – and yet he hadn't said a word.

She vaguely wondered whether she should break the ice and speak first. Perhaps it was a test, and he was bating her. Either way, Padme remained just as silent. If he had something to say, he would say it. Ruwee Naberrie was not shy in expressing his opinions; that much she had inherited from him.

After a moment, she heard him exhale sharply and her breath caught in her throat at the familiar start, followed by the low rumble of, "I can't believe you would do this, Padme." She sighed and turned to face him, his expression one of anger and misery. It was then he looked at her and met her eyes; they were cold. "You deliberately disobeyed me."

"I'm not a child, dad," she hissed. "You can't tell me what I can and cannot do!"

His expression grew harder, as if that was possible and he frowned at her. "You lied to me," he accused. "You lied directly to my face, Padme."

She swallowed and turned her head away sharply. "I had to," she muttered.

"I'm your _father_ ," he growled and she could hear the venom singeing each word as they cut through the air. "I have a right to know whether I'm inviting _criminals_ into my house!"

Padme snapped her head up angrily at that comment, glowering at her father. "Anakin is _not_ a criminal!" Her fists clenched. "You have no right to talk about him that way!"

"I have every right, Padme!" he roared, his anger bubbling over. "This is my house!"

At his words, Padme rose to her feet, throwing her arms out aggressively. "You liked him not three hours ago!" she informed him.

Ruwee scowled. "That was before I figured it out your little secret. Tell me, Padme, did you really think I wouldn't have noticed?" When she refused to respond, he simply sighed. "I never expected this from you." The way his voice dropped an octave, quiet and sad, made Padme falter just a little. It was unexpected. But she refused to let her guard down. "Sola was always the headstrong one," he continued, seemingly to himself, for he was speaking so softly that Padme could hardly hear him. "I would expect this from her. But you?" His eyes met hers and she swallowed at the utter betrayal and disappointment swimming in them and instantly felt guilty. "I did not raise you to lie and keep secrets and sneak around behind my back."

 _How did you know that,_ she was about to ask, but decided it was not the right time to anger him even more. Instead, she said, stubbornly, "I didn't lie to you."

"Omitting the truth is the same as lying, Padme."

She frowned at him. "So, I suppose all that stuff about you just wanting me to be happy was lie then, was it?" She spat the words at him, intended to sting his heart, and it worked, for she saw his face fall.

"Of course not," he assured her sincerely. "But… how can you possibly be happy with a man like _that_?"

"I love him." The explanation seemed so simple to Padme. There couldn't possibly be any other reason. Tears sprung in her eyes as she stood before her father. She had to make him understand; she had to stand up for Anakin. She had to _fight for him._ "You have _no idea_ what Anakin has been through. He's grown so much and I've seen him make changes in his life and I'm _so proud of him_ , dad. He's…" she broke off as a tear rolled gently down her cheek. "He's turning his life around. How could I _not_ love him?"

Ruwee merely shook his head. "This is not healthy, Padme. Can't you see what is happening to you? Being with this boy… it's turning you into something you're not."

At this, Padme laughed cruelly, a cold, uncharacteristic laugh and her entire expression narrowed. "I guess you just don't know me as well as you think you do," she hissed unkindly, and the way her father jolted at her words made a part of her grin. _Good._

"Padme," he almost pleaded, disappointment laced through his words. "You can't expect me to accept this… this _boy,_ with a reputation like that. I urge – no I _demand,_ " he became more forceful, but he still had not risen from his seat, which surprised her. "I demand you to break this off, immediately!"

" _Demand_?" Padme all but shrieked incredulously. How dare he? How dare he ask such a thing of her? "You can't demand me to do anything, _father._ All my life you've been telling me what to do, forcing me to do things and go places without any thought on how I actually felt." Her move to boarding school summed that up. She hadn't even been asked if she wanted to move, it had just happened because her father had said it would be _good for her._ As she stood in front of him, she realised she was not merely angry about his opinion of Anakin. All these years of pent up anger towards her father were suddenly surfacing and, for once, she didn't care if she spoke her mind.

"I'm not a naïve little girl anymore," she continued. "I'm twenty-four for God's sake. You stopped having the right to tell me what to do with my life the moment I turned 18! You don't own me!"

Ruwee smiled ruefully. "No, but I do own your credit card."

She was shocked to hear him say such a thing. He couldn't possibly be insinuating _that_ , could he? He wouldn't. Not his own daughter. "Right, so you're going to cut me off, are you?" she asked petulantly. "You're going to leave your own daughter out to dry?"

Ruwee frowned and rubbed his fingers into his temples, sighing heavily. "No," he conceded. "But, sweetheart," he implored, trying to sway her with his sweet words. "I understand you have feelings for this boy, but have you actually thought about how this will affect your life? You want to go into politics, into the media. If his… _past_ came out, it would affect your reputation."

She paused for a moment, because he was right, to a certain extent, as much as she hated to admit it. Padme hadn't thought about her future with Anakin at all. Which was strange, for she was the queen of plans and foresight and organisation. She was graduating in less than a year, and she'd told Anakin that they would figure things out once she had finished up her schooling, but she hadn't given it a single thought. That worried her. Why wasn't she planning for the future? Perhaps her father was right, she _wasn't_ the same person now that Anakin was in her life.

"I don't care," she insisted, stubbornly. "I'm not leaving him. We'll figure things out, that's how we work. I – I _can't_ give up on him." It was as though she was trying to convince herself.

"Don't be a fool, Padme," her father reasoned coldly. "Think about your aspirations, about your future. He will only drag you down. People like that… they're toxic to people like us."

Padme's fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug roughly into her palm and her knuckles turned white. " _How dare you!"_ she hissed. "Is that what your parents said to you before you married mom? That she was _toxic?_ " It was well known that her parent's marriage had been frowned upon by her father's family, because she was from a modest, middle-class family. Padme couldn't believe the hypocrisy coming out of her father's mouth.

"That is not the same," Ruwee said defensively. "Your mother was not a criminal…"

"Neither is Anakin!" Padme shrilled, tears streaming down her face. "He's had a rough life and he made some mistakes when he was young, but that was _four years ago._ He's a good person and I love him. And nothing you can say is going to change my mind!" She turned on her heel and began to storm upstairs, before she stopped in the doorway and whipped her head back around. "If you can't accept him as a part of my life, then I don't want to see you again."

Tears streamed down her face as she all but sprinted upstairs, ignoring her father's cries of her name. She couldn't believe what had happened, how quickly everything had changed. Never had she felt so angry in her entire life. Anakin deserved better. It wasn't fair. Padme couldn't stay another second longer in that house. She needed to get out before she exploded and her emotions got the better of her.

Anakin was sitting on the bed in his room, hands clasped together and his lip between his teeth. He snapped his head up when she wretched open the door, and his eyes immediately scanned her face, expression one of great concern, and he rose as she entered.

"Hey…" he began softly, reaching out with hands to pull her into his arms. "Are you okay? I heard a lot of shouting and – "

" – Get your things. We're leaving," she snapped at him harshly, refusing his embrace.

When he did nothing but stand still, watching her with a confused, dumbfounded expression on his face, she huffed petulantly. "Anakin. Did you hear me? We're going."

Still, he stood where he was. "Padme, it's late."

"I know." She stormed into her own room and began flinging her things carelessly into her suitcase, for once not caring about order because she needed to get out of there. She couldn't breathe. Anakin hovered about her, regarding her in concern and she glanced up at him. "Why aren't you packing?" she shot at him.

"You're upset." Another one of his annoying simple explanations.

She didn't say anything and continued her aggressive packing, so overcome with emotion that her vision became blurred. Everything was shoved in so haphazardly that she couldn't shut her suitcase properly, which only served to make her more frustrated and as she furiously tried to jam it shut, she felt Anakin's arms come around her, restraining her, as more tears leaked from her eyes.

"Padme, please, calm down," he whispered in her ear, running his fingers along her arms, trying to soothe her, but it was no use. She was too worked up.

"I have to get out of here," she told him with a shaky voice. "I need to leave."

Anakin only frowned. "That's not a good idea," he warned her. "You shouldn't go anywhere right now, not in this state. You need to take a breather for a minute, and calm down and – "

Padme pushed his arms off her, whirling around to glare at him. " _Don't_ tell me what to do, Anakin!" she yelled at him. "I've had enough of that from my father, I don't need it from you too."

Her outburst seemed to shock him, and his eyes narrowed as his hands came up in surrender. "Hey," he began, voice still soft, though there was a sharper edge to it. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I'm trying to _help_ you. We should talk about this first."

She scoffed at him. So, _now_ , he wanted to talk? "I don't want to talk about this right now, Anakin. I'm not in the mood."

"Right," Anakin scowled. "Because _not_ talking is exactly how we got into this mess in the first place." His arms were crossed now, and Padme was suddenly aware of his towering form standing before her, but she was far from intimidated. If anything, it only encouraged her anger.

"So, this is all _my_ fault then, is it?" she snapped. She didn't know what was wrong with her, but her emotions were all over the place and she couldn't keep them under control. It was unfair to Anakin, she knew that, because he had just as much reason to be upset as she did, but somehow, _he_ was the only keeping calm and she was the one flying off the handle.

Anakin rubbed the back of his neck and sighed deeply. "I'm not saying it's your fault," he explained. "I'm just saying that you shouldn't leave like this. You and your dad need to sort it out." Padme blinked at him, incredulous. How could he possibly say that? "I don't want you to do something you'll regret later."

She rubbed her temples roughly, unsure of what she was hearing. "There isn't anything I could possibly want to say to him right now, Anakin. The things he said about you…" she sniffed back tears, "that you're not good for me and will only drag me down and you'll affect my – my future… why are you taking his side?"

Anakin closed his eyes and grew silent, but Padme noticed his fingers were trembling. She wanted to reach out and take them in hers, to reassure him, but she knew it was not the right time. "Because he's right," he muttered quietly after a few moments. Eyes snapped open and she was suddenly imprisoned by his intense, blue gaze as he held her there. There was a heartbreakingly tortured expression on his face that made Padme want to cry again. "What father would want their daughter to be with someone like… me? If I had a daughter, I'd react the exact same way."

Padme whimpered and reached out, grasping his forearms tightly, never tearing her eyes away from his. "I don't care, Ani. I don't care about that."

Anakin simply shook his head. "But you _should_ care, Padme," he implored almost desperately, placing his hands on her shoulders as if to shake her. "That's the problem. It's a big deal. It's a big part of my life, and while you're with me, it's going to affect you too. But you haven't thought about it at all." His eyes were moist, like hers, but he had a stronger grasp on his emotions and held back, for her sake, she assumed. When she didn't say anything, he continued. "We never talk about our future. I mean, you graduate in six months and yet we have _nothing_ figured out!"

She snuffled. "We'll work it out. We always do."

"Will we?" he asked, and the desperation straining his words was crystal clear in his voice. "It's alright now because we're both at college, but what's going to happen after that? You'll want to do things and go places and I'll constantly be holding you back. My past will…" he broke off and his hands left her shoulders and he began pacing, like he did when he was distressed. "It's always going to affect me. Who knows if I'll ever be able to travel, or even get a job? And people will judge us, Padme, judge _you._ "

He met her gaze and the guilt was evident, swimming in the depths of his beautiful blue eyes. "I'm used to it," he told her. "It's been happening for four years. But you're not. No matter how hard we try to hide it, the truth always comes out. And people will judge you… because of me. How do you think that makes me feel?" He sank onto the bed and rested his head in his hands, his entire body shaking and Padme realised he was crying. "You don't deserve that kind of treatment."

She approached him and sat next to him, resting her hand on his knee. "I don't care, Anakin," he repeated firmly but that only served to make him more frustrated.

"Not everyone is like you, Padme. People are judgemental and cruel. They will constantly question why you're with me, just like your dad does. I can't – how can I subject you to that?"

"You want me to leave you then, is that it?" she asked meekly, blinking at him through wet eyelashes. She couldn't even bear to think the words. The thought of leaving Anakin was… heart-wrenching. And yet, that was exactly what he was implying. "Is that what you want?"

"Of course that's not what I want," he replied immediately, aggressively. "But you deserve better. You deserve so much better than me."

Padme scowled. "See, this is exactly what my father wants. He's trying to drive a rift between us, Anakin."

"You think this is about him?" he snapped.

"Well, you've never expressed these opinions before this weekend, so it has to be him."

Again, Anakin simply growled. "That's because we never talk about anything! You're the one who gave the big speech about communication, but you're just as bad. Anytime I bring up our future, you just dismiss it!"

"Right, because these are exactly the kind of conversations I want to have when we visit each other," she drawled, crossing her arms and frowning at him.

"So, avoiding our problems is the best solution then, is it?"

Padme screwed up her fists and leapt to her feet. "I'm not saying that, Anakin. I just don't want to talk about this right now! Why are you being like this?"

"Because we need to! We never talk about this."

"And that's my fault?"

Anakin put his head in his hands and exhaled sharply through gritted teeth. "I'm not saying it's your fault," he groaned. "Why do you keep thinking I'm blaming you?"

"Because you are!" Her voice had increased several octaves in her frustration and her eyes flashed dangerously. "I'm sorry if I don't want to talk about this, Anakin, but it's not how I want to spend our time together. Look at us!" she gestured between them. "I don't get to see you very often. Why would I want to spend all my time fighting with you?"

"We wouldn't be fighting if you would just admit that I'm right," he reasoned, his voice annoyingly smug.

She scowled at him. "It's not about who's right or wrong," she said darkly. "You're being ridiculous. I don't want to fight with you about stupid stuff like this?"

He faltered, and she suddenly wondered if she'd said something wrong, for his entire face fell. "You think talking about our future is stupid?" he asked, words laced with venom.

"Don't put words into my mouth," she retorted back. "I'm leaving."

Anakin stood up then, his arms still crossed, a sour expression on his face. "I don't think you should do that."

"Why not?"

"Because," he sighed. "He's your father. You two need to sort things out. I'm just trying to do what's best for you."

Padme scoffed harshly and muttered a dark laugh. "Don't presume to think you know what's best for me, Anakin. I'm twenty-four, I'm old enough to make my own decisions and handle the consequences of my actions."

"I'm not saying that – " he muttered.

" – you know what, do what you like," she interrupted him. "I'm leaving. Stay here for all I care. You and my father might actually get along after all, seeing as you both seem to know what's _best for me._ " Padme turned her back on him and continued packing, as though he wasn't even in the room.

"Padme…"

"I'm done talking about this. Either you're coming or you're not."

She heard Anakin grumble out a response, but it didn't register as words. Even though she knew she was being harsh, she was frustrated and fed-up and just needed some space. Anakin's sudden outburst about them not _talking_ got to her, mainly because it was true. They didn't talk, not about important things. It had been months since they'd had any real, deep conversation, before they'd even gotten together.

With a guilty sigh, Padme felt suddenly cowardly. She would never admit it, not even to Anakin, but she was scared. Their future was so uncertain; they had no idea where they were headed or what was coming next. They lived in the present, in each passing moment, wishing away the time spent apart in order to spend time together. Padme was scared of leaving that comfortable routine. If there was one thing that frightened her the most, it was uncertainty.

Anakin met her at her car minutes later, but he didn't say a word, and neither did she, for they were both as stubborn as each other. It was late, and Padme hadn't even said goodbye to her father, but he hadn't said goodbye to her, either. She didn't know where they stood, only that they weren't in a good place. All Padme wanted to do was curl up under her sheets and sleep. She felt exhausted.

The two of them were silent for the entire trip back, but Padme was grateful for the silence. It gave her time to gather her thoughts and calm down. Everything had drastically spiralled out of control and it had been so unexpected that she felt as though she'd been hit with a bus. She snuck a side glance at Anakin to see how he was handling it, but his stony expression remained fixed on the view outside.

While she drove, Padme thought over his words. All his insecurities about him not being good enough for her had resurfaced. That worried her. Why was he acting like this? Why was he so convinced that he wasn't good for her? Didn't he know that he was the greatest thing in her life? Didn't he understand how much this silent treatment was killing her? Didn't he know how much she loved him?

It was close to midnight when they arrived back at Padme's room, and they silently got dressed into their pyjamas and sank under the covers. As she lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, she realised that this would be the first night they'd spent together without having sex. Of course, that shouldn't have been such a big deal, but it was to Padme. Their desire for each other was a large part of their relationship, and for that to break down… there were obviously some bigger cracks that Padme hadn't noticed.

The thought made her grow sad, and she turned her head, to glance at his sleeping form. "Goodnight, Anakin," she whispered sadly into the night, not sure if he heard her, before rolling on to her side, her back to him. The bed shifted as she felt him roll beside her and she felt his heat moving closer to her. Her heart caught in her chest and she smiled in spite of herself. He was going to hold her. Everything was going to be alright. Instead, his lips brushed gently against her cheek and then he was gone, facing away from her, asleep, and she felt pangs of loneliness deep within her soul. Tears welled in her eyes and she curled her legs up to her chest, hugging them, squeezing her eyes shut. Even though he was right beside her, she felt completely alone. It was the worst sleep she'd ever had in her life.

When she woke the next morning, she reached out with her hands, feeling the spot next to her. It was empty. "Ani?" she called, blinking her eyes open, to find him gone, his sheets pulled back. Where was he? Biting her lip, she sat up and rubbed her eyes, before she got up and headed out into the main area.

Dorme was sitting at the table eating a bowl of cereal and looked up with a smile on her face as Padme shuffled out of her bedroom.

"Where's Anakin?" Padme asked her friend, without even greeting her. Anakin was gone. That was her biggest concern. Everything else paled in comparison. He wouldn't leave her, would he? _No,_ she thought to herself. _He'd never._

Dorme swallowed and shrugged her shoulders. "He said something about going for a walk." Padme frowned in confusion. "Did you two have a fight or something?" her friend asked softly, her face lined with concern and worry.

Padme cast her gaze to the floor. "Something like that," she muttered, miserably.

"Don't worry," Dorme said brightly, in an attempt to cheer her up. "I'm sure you'll be fine. That's boy's so in love with you. He'll come around."

Giving her a small smile, Padme nodded. "I'm going to have a shower."

Once she was by herself, however, she completely broke down. Anakin had never done this before. He'd never just left without even telling her where he was going. But, then again, they'd never fought like this before. Obviously, he was having just as much troubling dealing with it as she was. Tears fell down her cheeks and mixed with the water raining down on her from above and Padme wept, full of sorrow and guilt and loneliness.

Suddenly, the shower curtain was pulled open abruptly and Padme barely had time to turn around before she saw Anakin stepping into the shower, completely clothed. "Anakin! What are y – mmpff – " she barely had time to register his presence before his mouth was on hers and she was almost knocked backwards, or would have been if his hands hadn't steadied her. Suddenly, everything melted away and all she could comprehend was the feel of his lips, attacking her own aggressively.

He pulled back after a moment, his eyes flashing dangerously, and she simply stared at him in complete shock. "What – what are you doing?" she asked him, struggling to breathe for he had knocked the wind out of her.

His breathing was just as laboured, his chest rising and falling heavily as he stood under the shower head. Water trickled down the sides of his face. "You were crying," he said, his voice so soft and beautiful.

Padme simply blinked several times. Had he gone crazy? "You're still in your clothes!" she informed him, as though he wasn't already aware of that fact.

Again, he simply stared at her, his intoxicating gaze holding her captive. "You were crying," he repeated, but this time, a hand came up to her cheek and he wiped her tears away with his thumb. "It was me, wasn't it? I made you cry."

Her bottom lip trembled at his words and it took everything she had not to launch herself into his arms. Instead, she simply nodded, and then, unsurely, shook her head. "Yes, and no," she told him truthfully.

"I'm sorry." His expression was so sincere and beautiful that it almost made her forget what she was even upset about. Until she remembered.

"You didn't hold me," she said meekly as water gathered on her eyelashes. "I needed you last night, Anakin. I needed you to hold me and tell me everything was going to be alright. B-but you… you _didn't_."

Anakin crushed her body against his, one hand curling up into her hair, the other stroking along the curve of her spine and she gave into him, sobbing into his chest. Everything seemed to pour out of her in that moment – her anger at her father, her anger at Anakin, her sorrow, her frustration, her _love_ – and she wept violently, her tears soaking through his already drenched shirt, but he didn't seem to care at all. He simply held her and muttered, "it's okay, I'm here now, I'm here, let it out, let it all out." It felt like hours before she finally broke free from his embrace, arms still clasped around his waist and his hands settled on her hips.

They blinked at each other, neither one saying a word, until suddenly, they began muttered apologies, stuttering over each other again and again and then Anakin was kissing her and Padme felt like she was flying.

"I'm sorry," Anakin mumbled against her lips, over and over again.

"No, I'm sorry, Ani," she shook her head, curling her fingers up into his damp hair.

"It's not your fault," he assured her sweetly, pressing drugging kisses all over her face until she felt like she would drown beneath his lips. It was the sweetest death.

She smiled. "It's not yours either." He cupped her cheek and smoothed his thumb over her bottom lip, tenderly, his eyes never leaving hers. "Where were you?"

He shrugged. "Walking. I had the worst fucking sleep of my life. I needed to clear my head." Padme swallowed and nodded her head. She knew exactly how he felt, because she had slept terribly as well. "I bought you some coffee," he continued. "Skim milk latte with a shot of vanilla, just how you like it."

The little smile her gave her warmed her heart and she pulled him closer to her so their foreheads were pressed together. "You know me too well," she said affectionately. "Anakin…?"

"Yeah?"

Padme glanced up at him shyly. "We're okay, right? You and me?"

Anakin beamed and brushed some wet hair that was sticking to her forehead away from her face. "Of course we are," he said firmly, as though there was no need to even think about the answer. His certainty always calmed her anxiety."Did you think you could get rid of me _that_ easily?"

She grinned at his tease and pulled him down to her lips, kissing him deeply. "I love you, Ani," she told him, seriously. "Nothing is ever going to change that. I'm never giving up on you." Each word was enunciated with a kiss, and even though Anakin didn't say anything in return, she knew he appreciated the reassurance that he was all she could ever need. He needed to know that he was more than enough for her, especially after everything that had happened the day before.

Her fingers played with the collar of his shirt idly and she laughed, shaking her head at him. "I can't believe you're still wearing your clothes, you idiot. You can be absolutely ridiculous sometimes, Ani."

He grinned cheekily at her. "I prefer to think of it as spontaneous."

She rolled her eyes at him, but grinned back at him nonetheless, because she adored this side of him most of all and was glad to see it again.

"Come on," he took her hand and helped her out of the shower. "Let's get ourselves dried off before Dorme thinks we're having sex in the shower." Padme hit him with her towel. "What?" he asked, feigning innocence. "It's not like we haven't done it before."

"Get your mind out of the gutter," she scolded him playfully, helping him peel his sopping clothes off his body before handing him a towel. The two of them left the bathroom together, nearly naked, earning many suspicious looks from Dorme who promptly retreated into her bedroom at the sight of them.

Padme and Anakin spent the rest of the morning making up for lost time, in many different ways, until she had to drive him to the airport. It was a teary goodbye, as always, but Anakin promised that they'd see each other at Christmas, and Padme's spirits brightened considerably. When she came back, there was a bouquet of sunflowers sitting on the kitchen counter, with a handwritten note on a crumpled napkin lying next to it. Curious, Padme picked it up and her heart caught in her chest as she noticed Anakin's handwriting.

 _To my angel,_ it read.

 _I'm not all that good at romance, but for you I'll give it a go. See, I saw these when I went walking this morning. I know they're not the kind of flowers girls dream about. I mean, what kind of guy gives their girlfriend sunflowers? They don't exactly give off the romantic vibe. But they caught my eye, you know?_

 _There's just something about them. They're bright and vibrant and beautiful, like the sun and I immediately felt better once I saw them. And, well, that's how I feel when I'm with you. It's impossible to be unhappy around sunflowers and it's just as impossible for me to feel unhappy around you, Padme._

 _I know things are complicated and there are things we need to discuss, but we'll get through it. That's how we work. Anyway, I hope these make you feel better and light up your day, just like you light up my life. I'll see you soon, my angel._

 _All my love, Your Ani._

Padme didn't know she was crying until she saw tear drops staining the page and a small bubble of giddy laughter burst out of her. Putting down the note, she picked up the sunflowers, admiring how large and gloriously yellow they were. They reminded her of Anakin. If he was going to be a flower, he would be a sunflower, she decided then and there. They both were so bright and full of life.

"He's pretty sweet, isn't he?" Dorme said from the door of her room. Padme looked up and nodded, unable to keep the smile off her face. "He told me to hide them until you left. I couldn't help but read the note, I'm sorry."

Padme shook her head at her friend, clutching her bouquet as though it was a newborn baby and she was scared she would drop them. "It's alright. You can."

"How did you get so lucky?"

Tears of extreme happiness rolled down her cheek and she shook her head. "I don't know."

Sunflowers quickly became her favourite flower in the world.


	10. Chapter 10

**_A/N: I'm sorry I've been so slow. My life has been pretty hectic at the moment; my cousin got married, my family is here and I've been working almost every day and just haven't gotten a chance to write. Anyway, I hope I make it up to you with this chapter._**

 ** _I can't believe I've gotten over 200 reviews. That is actually amazing. Thank you so much for all your continuous support for this story. It really means so much to me._**

 ** _Please enjoy xx_**

* * *

 _"Have you talked to dad yet?"_

Padme sighed deeply as she balanced her phone between her cheek and shoulder, clutching a takeaway coffee in her left hand and her suitcase in her right. It was unbelievably cold as soon as she stepped off the plane, and it was currently snowing and the wind had picked up, making it, all in all, a fairly dismal arrival. Her mother was on her way to the airport to pick her up, and so Padme was huddled under the shelter of an awning, desperately trying to keep her teeth from chattering as she spoke to her sister.

"No."

It had been two weeks since she had left her father's house, and since then, she'd not made contact with him. She wasn't one to hold a grudge, at least, she liked to _think_ that she wasn't, but there was just so much that had been said between them… _awful things_ … and Padme didn't know how to breach the subject again without losing her control. Besides, it wasn't as though _he_ had made any effort to contact _her._

Sola clicked her tongue on the other end of the line. " _You really should forgive him. He means well, you know, even if he goes about it in the wrong way."_

Sighing again, Padme let go of her suitcase, sitting it upright so she could support her phone with her hand again. "I know." If she was being honest with herself, Padme had forgiven him already. She just couldn't face him, not yet. Her pride was too strong. "When you are you getting to mom's?" she asked in an effort to change the subject.

 _"Tomorrow. The girls are excited to see you."_

The thought of her little nieces brightened her mood and Padme couldn't help but smile. "I'm excited to see them too." She made a mental note to buy them Christmas presents before she forgot. Just then, her mother's car pulled up beside the curb, so she ended the call with her sister, and quickly got into the passenger seat, grateful for the shelter from the insistent snow storm.

Jobal Naberrie did nothing by halves, and Christmas was no exception. Padme had almost forgotten how much her mother adored decorating until she arrived back home, to see a glorious and elaborate display of reindeer, Christmas trees, fairy lights adorning every tree, lining the path, hanging from the roof. A large wreath was pinned to the front door. It was a step back in time to Padme's childhood, and the sight of it thrilled her.

"This looks amazing, mom," she praised as she went inside, eyes wide with awe as she drank in the tinsel lining the window frames and the various ornaments resting on every surface.

Her mother smiled brilliantly, her cheeks flushing a little. "Well, Ryoo and Pooja are coming, so I thought I'd make an effort. I've been doing some… _redecorating,_ lately," she added with a knowing grin on her face, before taking Padme upstairs. It was there, that Padme noticed the largest change in the house. Her single bed was gone, replaced by a much larger double bed, in elegant white sheets and a monochrome patterned quilt. Of course, her childhood memorabilia was still every present, but it was a much more adult room. Padme beamed at her mother and thanked her immensely. She had not expected that.

"It's nothing, dear," Jobal dismissed the thanks with a wave of her hand. "You're an adult now, it's about time you had a room that showed it. Besides…" her expression grew sly. "I needed to make changes if Anakin is going to be staying here more often."

Padme couldn't help the blush that rushed to her cheeks at her mother's words. She couldn't believe how differently each of her parents were reacting to her relationship. Her father had been all uptight and treated them like teenagers. She was relieved to hear her mother appreciating that she was an adult. It was refreshing, and she was more grateful for it than anything.

"When is he coming home?"

"Tuesday," Padme replied somewhat sad. As always, she missed Anakin, but this time, she was more concerned about their relationship. Things had ended well the last time they had been together, but still there was this uncertainty in the air, and many things left unspoken. It made her anxious. She knew that she needed to clear the air and actually _talk_ to him, but it was always so much easier to pretend that nothing was wrong.

Her mother seemed to notice her distress and put her hand on her arm. "Is everything alright?"

Nodding, Padme brushed her off with a small smile. "It's nothing," she ensured her. "I'm fine."

Not convinced, Jobal frowned. "Darling, if you need to talk about anything – "

" – I _know_ , mom," she said in a rush. "I'm fine, really." Hopefully, Padme had done enough to abate her mother until she could figure out her own feelings. There was just some things she didn't want to discuss, not yet, anyway.

Her mother only sighed, a sad expression on her face and sat down on Padme's bed, hands clasped in her lap. The silence in the air grew still and Padme grew anxious again as she regarded her mother. Why was she acting like this? What had happened?

Then, the words she dreaded to hear surfaced. "Your father called."

Padme paled considerably. Her father had _called?_ Called her mother? They were not on good terms, that much she knew. If he had called her mother, it must have been something important. A wave of guilt washed over her. She should have contacted him. She should have called him or visited him and smoothed things over. It was coming up to Christmas and they still hadn't spoken a word to each other. The situation must have been bad for Ruwee to turn to his ex-wife.

She remained silent and began to unpack her suitcase, keeping her back turned. "He told me what happened," Jobal continued, prompting her to turn around and talk about it, even though all Padme wanted to do was hide. Perhaps Anakin was right. Perhaps she did have habit of running away from her problems instead of dealing with the consequences.

It was obvious what was coming next. A lecture. And Padme was not in the mood to be told what to do, especially by her own mother. When she said as much, her mother just shook her head and heaved a heavy sigh. "I'm not here to tell you what you did was wrong," she explained. "I don't agree with the way your father handled the situation, but that doesn't mean he didn't raise some good points. Have you actually thought about your future?"

Again with the future talk. For someone so futures-orientated, Padme was surprised at how uncertain everything about her future was. The only thing she knew was certain, was that Anakin would be in the picture, one way or another. "Of course I have," she retorted stubbornly, whipping around to cross her arms and frown at her mother for daring to ask such a question, even though she was well within her rights to.

"You're not a very good liar, Padme," Jobal informed her with a small, soft smile, trying to placate her. "I just want to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into. Relationships take a lot of work and if you don't – "

" – there's nothing wrong with our relationship," Padme snapped. "Anakin and I are coping just fine with the distance."

Jobal only shook her head. "For now. What happens when you graduate? What happens when you get a job? What are you going to do?"

"I don't know! I'll move to Chicago or something. There'll be jobs there." Now, she was starting to get frustrated. Why was her family so sure that her relationship with Anakin was doomed? They loved each other. Wasn't that all that mattered?

Apparently it wasn't enough for her mother. Jobal blinked at her with eyes that were moist with _pity_ , something Padme had never expected her mother to feel for her. "Please, Padme," she all but pleaded. " _Please_ don't make the same mistake your father did. Don't give up your dreams for a life you think you want."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her mother, of all people, was supposed to be the one who stood up for her. Here, now, she was sounding every bit like her father, only in much softer, gentler tones. "I can't believe you would say that," she said quietly, turning her head away. "I _love_ Anakin. I thought… I thought _you_ would understand that."

"Your father loved me once, too," her mother whispered, her voice trembling and when Padme finally glanced up at her, she saw tears swimming in her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks. "You are _his_ daughter, Padme," she continued. "No matter how much you try to deny it, it will _never_ be enough for you."

And then she left the room, leaving Padme confused and angry and hurt and betrayed as she sat on her bed, her clothes around her, wondering if her mother was actually right. What was going to happen when Padme graduated? What if she was offered a job to travel, or move, while Anakin was still in college? If she was being honest, the long distance was killing her. She missed him terribly every single day he was apart, and the fleeting visits, whilst wonderful, were never enough. And yet, Padme had sworn to herself she could never be one of those women that sat around all day waiting for her man. She hated that idea. She longed to explore the world and integrate herself into society wholeheartedly. She wanted to make a difference. Could she do that? Commit to two things at once?

It was a terrifying prospect to consider, and it was something she definitely didn't want to think about, especially not now. So, to quell her anxiety, she did the only thing in the world that made her feel better. She called Anakin.

"Why Tuesday?" Padme whined as soon as Anakin answered her call. She was lying on her bed, book resting on her chest and toothbrush wedged between her teeth.

He laughed from the other end, and the sound of it thrilled her, as it always did. _"Hello to you, too,"_ he teased.

Huffing, for she was not in the mood for his banter, she retorted, "Why should I greet someone who's always making me wait for him?"

 _"Someone's needy,"_ he replied, voice light and airy. _"Are you missing me, Padme?"_

"You already know that answer to that, Ani."

He merely laughed again. _"That's not the point. I like hearing you say it."_ Padme could practically see his arrogant grin.

"Fine. Yes, I miss you. Happy?" she bit back, harsher than she had intended.

Anakin paused. _"Are you actually mad at me?"_

"No," Padme sighed, miserably, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm just being silly."

" _Four days, angel, and then I'm all yours."_

She grinned in spite of herself, her insides fluttering at the thought. She knew she was being ridiculous, but it had been two weeks and they'd both been so busy with last minute assignments and work that they'd hardly even had time to call each other. She missed him.

"Hmm, I like the sound of that," she said, low and seductive, trying to get a rise out of him. It worked, for she heard his gorgeous husky laughter fill her eyes and her grin widened at the sound of it. "Hey, what do you want for Christmas?"

 _"You."_

Padme rolled her eyes. As spontaneous as he was, he could be so predictable sometimes. "That's not helpful at all, Anakin. You've already got me. Pick something else."

 _"I don't want something else. All I want is you."_ There it was again, that honesty that made her entire body light up. She was she was safely inside the privacy of her bedroom, otherwise she might have been embarrassed by the sappy grin that curled her lips at his words. Instead of letting herself get affected by him, she swallowed and shook her head.

"I'm not wrapping myself up in a big red bow, if that's what you're suggesting. I doubt I'd fit in a stocking." There was a pause, though she could distinctly hear a sharp inhale and she groaned. " _No_ , Ani. Whatever you're thinking, _stop_."

She swore she could see him grinning at her, those blue eyes flashing with mischief and his bottom lip between his teeth as he whispered the words, " _that's not exactly the worst image_."

"You're unbelievable," she groaned, trying to hide the fact that such an image had flashed before her mind as well, but she didn't want him to know that. Trust Anakin to make something sexual out of an innocent comment.

 _"You're the one who put the idea in my head. Don't blame me."_

Padme rolled onto her stomach, letting her book fall to the floor, and kicked up her legs as she propped herself up on her elbows. Streetlight from outside spilled onto her pillow and she traced the shadows it made with her forefinger. "Can you _please_ be serious for once, Ani," she pleaded in frustration. "I want to get you something special."

 _"You don't have to get me anything,"_ he told her instantly.

"Of course I do," she insisted. "Stop being so self-righteous and help me out here."

Another pause. Padme waited patiently. If she was being honest, she had no idea what to get Anakin for Christmas either. It had to be something special, something he would actually want and use, but she was stumped on what that gift actually was. Part of her was tempted, a very desperate part, to do as he had jokingly suggested, wrap herself up in a bow and lay on her bed, completely naked. But sex was not a present. Not really. _No,_ she decided firmly. Anakin deserved something far better than that.

" _You know,_ " he said after a while, a familiar slyness creeping into his voice. " _If you really love me like you say you do, you wouldn't have waited until ten days before Christmas to buy me a present._ " He spoke matter-of-factly and his teasing made her roll her eyes again.

"Right," she drawled sarcastically. "So you're telling me you've already bought me something?"

 _"Of course I have."_

"What is it?"

He laughed again. " _I'm not telling you. It's a surprise."_

"If it's just you wrapped up in a big red bow, I want a refund," she teased.

Anakin made a wounded sound. " _I'm sorry to disappoint, Miss Naberrie. You can only refund if you find the product faulty, and since I'm flawless, I guess you're stuck with me."_

"Hmmm," Padme grinned, pausing for dramatic effect. She loved _this_ more than anything. Talking to Anakin was one of her favourite things in the world. His effect on her was like none other; his light-hearted, teasing nature absolutely contagious and she fell right in without complaint. "Well, I suppose you'll have to do, if I'm _stuck_ with you." She made a false, disappointed huffing sound that erupted into a fit of giggles, which Anakin soon joined, his beautiful laughter filling her ears.

" _I promise I'll make it worth your while,_ " he said darkly, and his suggestive tone made her shiver.

It took everything she had to keep her voice under control, for she couldn't let him know just how much he affected her. "That's some mighty talk there, Mr. Skywalker. I hope you can back it up. A girl doesn't like to be disappointed."

His husky laugh made her skin break out into goose pimples, all over her arms and the back of her neck. " _You won't be, angel. Trust me."_

The connection suddenly became muffled and there was a shriek and a lot of background laughter as Padme tried to assess what was going on. The pause continued for a few muffled moments, and she clicked her tongue impatiently, eager to continue her playful banter. When Anakin finally returned his concentration to her, his voice seemed very, very far away.

" _I've got to go, Padme. We just got to Rex's and… well – yeah alright, Securra, I'm coming! – I'll talk to you later, alright."_

Padme tried not to sound too disappointed. It wasn't fair to ask him to continue talking to her when he wanted to have fun with his friends. Still, she would be lying if she said she wasn't upset at the fact that her conversation had been cut short. They'd had so little of it lately. "Oh, sure, Ani. It's fine. Have a good night."

 _"You too."_

She could sense he was just about to hang up, so she blurted out, "Anakin – "

" _Yeah?"_

She swallowed. "I love you."

Her ears filled with his joyful laughter and she knew he was smiling and shaking his head at her, even if she couldn't see him, because she just _knew_ him and every one of his expressions. " _Love you too, angel. Only four days til I come home to you."_

Four days. She nodded her head and rolled back over onto her back, pressing her fingers to her lips in a promise. Four days until she was in Anakin's arms again. It couldn't have come sooner.

The only thing that made her longing for Anakin bearable was the arrival of her sister. As soon as Sola appeared on the doorstep, Padme's mood had considerably lightened and the two of them had embraced so fiercely, tears in each other's eyes. It was the sweetest of reunions. And her little nieces were absolute delights. Little Pooja had attached herself immediately to Padme's side, becoming her adorable little shadow and following her everywhere she went – even into the bathroom at some stages, which made Padme laugh and Sola shake her head in embarrassment. Ryoo, the more serious of the two, preferred to keep to herself, and yet she, too, insisted that Aunty Padme read her a story before she went to bed.

It was an unusual thing, being surrounded by so much family. Most of Padme's childhood had been squandered by her fighting parents, and Sola had always been so much older. At times, Padme envied Ryoo and Pooja being so close in age, able to do things together and confide in each other and be friends. Although Padme had always been close to her sister, the age gap had certainly complicated things.

The next day, Jobal insisted on taking Ryoo and Pooja to the local cinemas, leaving Padme and Sola to do their Christmas shopping by themselves, which suited her just fine. Sola was especially relieved, for it was difficult to hide presents with snooping children in the house. Especially when most of the presents were supposed to come from _Santa._

After the first three hours of fruitless shopping, at least on Padme's part, for Sola had bought dozens of little gifts for her daughters and a new set of tools for her husband, they decided to stop for a much needed coffee break. Whilst they sat in the crowded little café, Padme couldn't help but smile at the moment, and how much she enjoyed spending time with her sister. After so many years apart, it felt good to have her back in her life. Sola had always been a shining light in Padme's life, someone she had looked up to and aspired to become.

"This is nice," she said after a while, taking a sip from her latte and running her tongue over her top lip to rid any excess foam.

Sola nodded her head, smiling kindly. "Yeah, it is. It's been forever since we've done something like this."

Forever was almost an overstatement. Padme couldn't recall a single time where she and her sister had gone out together, alone, without their mother or friends. It really was a unique experience. "I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch that often," she apologised sincerely.

"I'm just as at fault," Sola insisted. "I didn't keep in contact with you, either. It takes two."

"Well," Padme said brightly. "At least we're making up for it now."

"How are things? With you and Anakin?" Sola asked after a while, narrowing her eyes and scanning her face. Padme frowned. Why was everyone so convinced that someone was wrong with her relationship? First her father, then her mother and now her sister? Were they all so certain that they were doomed? That things wouldn't work out? When Padme raised this opinion, her sister only smiled sadly. "I just want you to know that you can talk to me, about anything. I'm your sister."

"I know." Padme knew she could trust Sola with anything, but one question continued to worry her. Were there cracks in her relationship that she wasn't seeing? Everything seemed so wonderful when they were together. Perhaps, she realised, this was the opportunity she needed to figure out how to make things work. As every member of her family had pointed out, things were going to get a lot more complicated once she graduated. Anakin's unfortunate past aside, he would still be at college, whilst she would be looking for a job. If they continued on the path they were currently following, Padme knew she would go insane. The distance was killing her. She longed to be with Anakin every minute of every day, and it had only gotten so much worse the longer they had been together.

And so, with that at the forefront of her mind, she decided now would be the time to seek advice from someone who understood her position. "How did you do it?" she asked her sister, her voice soft. "How did you make your marriage work?" It was well known that Sola's husband travelled a lot for work, and Sola had followed him everywhere, sacrificing her job, a home, stability, constantly moving from place to place.

Nodding, Sola inhaled deeply, before explaining. "I chose love." The answer sounded so simple to Padme that she cocked her head to the side in confusion, which only made Sola laugh. "I decided that I couldn't only half-commit to something, and that Darred deserved my full attention. I couldn't divide myself between him and a career," she elaborated. "So, I chose him. I gave up any hopes of having an actual career, and simply followed him wherever life took us."

The answer was something Padme wasn't expecting to hear. Her sister had actually _chosen_ to give up her aspirations and life dreams in order to follow a man around the world. No wonder her father had been so disappointed. Ruwee Naberrie had spent his life pruning his daughters into becoming successful, independent women, and then his eldest gives that all up for a _man_. It almost made her understand why he was so against her relationship with Anakin – not just because of his past, but because he was afraid that Padme would make the same decision that Sola had thirteen years ago.

"Do you regret it?" She felt bad asking such a private, personal question, but Padme needed answers. She needed guidance.

A large, proud smile broke out on Sola's face. "Not at all. I love my husband and I love my family and I couldn't imagine being happier. It was the best decision I could have made."

The bright, ecstatic look on Sola's face made Padme question her principles. They were two different people. Sola was her mother's daughter, family orientated, whereas Padme was far more ambitious, like her father. Could she do as her sister had done? Give up her goals and her aspirations just to be with Anakin? The conflict messed with her. Padme had never seen herself as an idle housewife. She was ambitious and fierce and proud and wanted to make a difference in the world. She wanted a career that was every bit as fulfilling as she could hope for. But, she loved Anakin, too, more than she thought she could possibly love another person, more than was humanly possible, she was sure of it. He was everything to her. She couldn't give him up.

"Look, I know why you're asking me this," Sola began, reaching out and taking Padme's hand, patting it softly, reassuring her. "I'm not saying you should do as I did. We're different people and we want different things in life. But…" she broke off and Padme glanced at her, seeing the concern evident in her blue eyes. "You need to think about this. Graduation will come around sooner than you think, and then you need to evaluate your life."

Her teeth sunk into the cushion of her bottom lip and she sighed, casting her eyes at the table below her. "I know."

"You should probably talk to Anakin about this. He wouldn't want you to give up your dreams just for him."

"I know," she said again. It definitely gave her a lot to think about, even if she wasn't quite ready to think about her future. That fear of the unknown, it was _consuming_ her, and Padme suddenly realised that she needed to tackle it soon before it was too late, and they both did something irrational that affected them in a bad way.

It was late afternoon by the time they came back home, and Padme helped her sister hide the presents from the curious eyes of her nieces. The rest of the afternoon was spent playing Pictionary with her nieces, mother and sister, and, once again, Padme felt that strange urge to be maternal. Watching Sola with the girls made her ache to have her own family one day. Regardless of what her future held, she definitely knew she wanted children. Not now, of course, but one day, when things were less chaotic and she was more grounded.

As she went to take her contraception pill later that day, a sudden, mundane thought occurred to her. She hadn't gotten her period. Bemused, but not entirely worried, she counted back the days to her last cycle and her brows furrowed.

Her period was meant to come three days ago.

Inhaling deeply to calm the rush of anxiety that was likely to emerge, she shook her head firmly. Three days was nothing. Right? _But you're always so regular,_ a voice inside her head informed her.

No. There was nothing to worry about. Being late a few days was normal. She couldn't be – they used protection, they were careful – it was just her hormones playing up on her. Either way, Padme couldn't sleep that night. Her sudden, maternal thoughts earlier that day haunted her, like a curse.

Had she spoken too soon?


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: So, I just saw The Force Awakens and oh my god it was amazing. I love it. I love the old characters and the new and I simply CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE!**_

 _ **Back to this story, this is probably be my last chapter before Christmas - but not before the new year because I'm not that cruel. I'm sure you'll all be too busy to read my little story anyway, so it's probably not a big deal. Anyway, I just want to wish you all a merry, merry Christmas! It's possibly my favourite time of year!**_

 _ **And, on that note, enjoy xx**_

* * *

Two days later, and nothing. She was still late. If Padme was concerned before, it was nothing compared to how she was feeling now. No matter how hard she tried to keep it together, she was plagued by nightmares of _what if?_ She'd refused to take a test, not until Anakin came home anyway, because if she _was_ pregnant, she would want to tell him face to face. It wasn't something she could do over the phone. Anakin deserved more than that.

Of course, the rational part of her brain was telling her she was overreacting. Six days was still not that long, not really. Was it? Yet her logical thought processes were slowly being consumed by crippling anxiety. It had gotten so bad that Padme had reverted to biting her fingernails again, a habit of hers when her parent's had been fighting. It was all she could do not to give her mother any indication of what was truly happening.

Being around her nieces didn't help either. Especially when she began envisioning her own children. As much as Padme wanted a family eventually, she knew she was far from ready. Yes, she may be twenty-four, but she was still at Harvard, she didn't have a job, she still relied on her father's money. And she _definitely_ knew that Anakin wasn't ready either. He was just starting to turn his life around. It wasn't fair to him.

For the next three nights, Padme hardly slept. Her dreams were plagued with images of a child, a son, blinking up at her with Anakin's bright, blue eyes and she would wake, sitting up in bed so suddenly that she gave herself a head rush, her body covered in perspiration despite how cold it was. After the first few sleepless nights, she refused to let herself succumb to dreams, and constantly woke herself before she could. As a result, she was extremely tired.

Her brave face seemed to break through, however, as her family was too busy preparing for Christmas to notice her distress. Padme was more than grateful for this. The last thing she wanted was her mother fretting or her sister getting involved. The two of them were notorious for prying into Padme's life and pushing her buttons and she was too on edge to deal with that right now. All she wanted was for Anakin to come home.

In order to keep busy, she helped her mother bake. Though not a skilled cook, she had quite a love of baking, and it gave her a sense of peace, kneading the dough for shortbread, rolling rumballs in coconut, making plum pudding and pumpkin pie. It had a calming effect on her nerves and keeping her hands busy gave her less time to think about the possibility that she might be pregnant. While she did so, she couldn't help but hear Anakin's words ringing in her head; _so, running away from our problems is the best solution then, is it?_ Was that what she was doing? Running away from the problem instead of facing it. She refused to answer that question. _Just wait until Ani's home,_ she told herself, _then everything will sort itself out._

"Something's wrong," Sola said bluntly after dinner, the night before Anakin was meant to come home. The two of them were washing up the dishes whilst Jobal put the girls in bed. Padme stayed silent for a moment, not quite ready to confess what was troubling her. Sola meant well, she always did, but Padme still didn't feel comfortable in revealing her fears. They were silly fears, she was sure of it. When she refused to answer, Sola sighed heavily and gripped Padme's wrist, forcing her to stop what she was doing. It took a moment before she met her inquisitive gaze. "What is it?"

Smiling softly, Padme shook her head. "There's nothing wrong," she lied, taking her wrist from her sister's grip to continue scrubbing dried pasta sauce out of a large saucepan.

Sola wasn't having any of it. "You've been biting your nails. You haven't done that since the divorce."

It was true. While her parents were going through the sticky end of their divorce, which had often involved a fair amount of yelling and high tensions in the house, Padme had unconsciously began biting her nails as a way of dealing with the intensity of the situation. Of course, she'd weaned herself off that habit once she'd hit high-school, so for her to have resorted to such an old habit meant that she was not alright, at least, not subconsciously.

With a deep sigh, she peeled off the rubber gloves and stared out of the window. The snow fall was light and gentle, dusting the window pane in a thin layer of white. Everything outside was white, so pristine and beautiful. It helped to calm her nerves. Padme closed her eyes briefly for a moment, not caring that she was making her sister wait, because she needed time. This was a delicate situation.

"I'm late," she whispered into the night, so very quiet that Sola had to lean closer to her to hear it. Saying the words aloud seemed to make the situation all the more real and her heart raced behind her ribs, the pulse flowing down all the way to her fingertips. When she opened her eyes again, they met her sister's own wide, concerned ones.

"Oh, _Padme_ ," was all her sister said, clasping her hands together.

Nodding, Padme bit her lip. "Yeah."

Sola reached out and gripped her hand tightly, giving it an encouraging squeeze. "How many days?"

She swallowed the lump that was stuck in her throat. "Six so far." It was only now she realised that her voice was trembling. Six days. Almost a week. That couldn't be normal, could it?

"Do you know if you're – "

" – I don't know," Padme replied immediately, almost defensively.

Her sister picked up on her attitude and merely sighed, running her thumb over Padme's knuckles. "Ignoring it won't make this go away," she explained kindly.

"That's not it," Padme assured her, though she was more likely trying to convince herself of that fact. "I just – I want to wait until Anakin comes home."

Sola's eyes widened incredulously. "You haven't _told_ him?" When Padme shook her head, she grimaced. "Padme, you can't keep this from him. That's not fair."

"I _know_! I'm not keeping it from him." She looked out the window again, her eyes drawn to the stray cat sprinting across the snow-covered lawn. "I just don't want him to worry about it. Not while he's still at school. It could all be for nothing, you know. I…" she sighed, rubbing her temples with her forefingers. "I can't do that to him." Sola nodded in understanding, pulling Padme into a comforting hug. The two were of similar heights, but Padme still felt so small in the arms of her sister, so naïve and young and innocent. "What if I _am_ pregnant?" she heard herself mutter into her sister's shoulder.

She suddenly realised that this could change everything. Her entire world could be turned upside down. Would she still be able to graduate? Maybe. She'd only be six months pregnant by graduation, that wouldn't be so bad. An image of her appeared in her mind, accepting her graduation certificate with an enormous belly sticking out from underneath her ceremonial gown. What would people think of her? Harvard students were not the types to get pregnant, especially if they weren't married first. What would her friends think? Her professors? Random students she ran into when getting coffee? All these thoughts flooded her and she was overwhelmed and felt her body shudder with sobs.

"Shhh, it's okay," Sola cooed in her ear, stroking her back softly. "It'll all work out."

Padme knew she was simply trying to soothe her, but she was far from calm. What would her father think? It was bad enough that she might be pregnant without being married, but if he knew that _Anakin_ was the father? She couldn't bear to see the look on his face. Such disappointment and anger. What about her mother? Jobal had always been more understanding, but would she be just as disappointed in her youngest daughter?

And Anakin? What would this do to him? As usual, her thoughts always led back to Anakin. She could picture him now; he would declare in a fit of gallantry that he would marry her and he'd give up college and find a job to help support her and the baby. And although it would be so wonderfully sweet, Padme felt sick at the thought. She couldn't do that to him. Who was _she_ to ask him to throw away everything he had worked so hard towards just because she happened to fall pregnant? That was entirely unfair. He was so young; he had so much to look forward to. Fatherhood would hold him back. Or maybe, as another _more sinister_ voice informed her, he would leave. Padme shuddered at the thought. She knew he wouldn't – or did she? – but the possibility was just as real.

"I'm not ready," she sobbed, clutching her sister tightly. "Not yet, Sola. I – I _can't_ be – " There was so much she wanted to achieve and do, and even if it was selfish, she didn't want a child. Not yet.

Sola pressed a kiss to her cheek. "You don't know for sure, Padme," she said softly. "Just wait to see what happens. Then, if you _are_ , you can deal with it then."

Padme nodded and pulled away, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yeah," she said thickly, giving her sister a small, but grateful smile. That was exactly what she needed, a shoulder to cry on and tell her everything was going to be okay. "Can we keep this just between us, for now?" she asked.

"Of course," her sister vowed. "I won't tell a soul."

They continued washing the dishes in silence but Padme was grateful for the chance to think. Anakin would be home until tomorrow and then she would have to find out for sure. Regardless of the situation, Padme realised that she wouldn't want anyone else but Anakin beside her in a time like this. No matter what happened, as long as he was with her, everything would be okay.

He arrived around midday and appeared on Padme's doorstep just after one and she launched herself into his arms, snaking her arms around his trim waist and pressed him as close to her as possible. His warmth enveloped her and she felt his cheek brush against her hair as he held her for several moments. Padme sighed into his sweater, not wanting to let go, as a small smile played at her lips. She could feel Anakin's heavy breathing and his fingers rubbing soothing circles along the small of her back and it was everything she could have wanted in that moment.

It felt like an eternity before they finally pulled back, arms still around each other, but enough to look into each other's eyes. Anakin's were as blue as ever, dancing with light and life and _love_ as he gazed adoringly at her and she beamed back up at him, the same affection mirrored in her own eyes. Then, for she had only just noticed, she made a small sound of surprise and her hands curled up into his hair, which was dramatically shorter than the last time she had seen him. Her fingers played with the locks tenderly, and though he always looked gorgeous, she couldn't help but feel sad at the sight. His hair had always been a beloved feature of hers.

"You cut your hair," she remarked, letting her fingers roam quizzically through the cropped, golden curls that fell about his ears.

"I guess that means you don't approve," he replied with his teasing smirk, his eyes flashing.

Padme shrugged. "I'll get used to it." Then, she curled her fingers tighter into his hair and pulled him down to her mouth, her lips ghosting over his gently, not quite touching but _oh so close_. "As long as I can still do this."

Anakin took the hint and kissed her, pulling her body flush against him and she sighed happily. All of her worries seemed to melt away at the feel of Anakin's mouth dancing with hers. For a moment, she was lost; there was nothing else in the world. Gravity ceased to exist, only Anakin was holding her feet firmly on the ground. Without him, she was sure she would float away into the clouds.

They pulled back, both a little breathless and Anakin traced her cheek with his fingers, feather-light. "Hey," he grinned at her, his voice barely above a whisper. Padme grinned back up at him, resting her forehead against his and their noses brushed together.

"Hey."

A delicate flush crept up on her cheeks as she realised that her family was watching them, and she untangled herself from Anakin, looking down at the ground. He simply looked smug and greeted Jobal with a gentlemanly shake of her hand, before being ushered inside. He was so tall he had to duck his head, yet he still kept his hand firmly clasped in Padme's, which made her grin like a little girl.

The only person more excited to see Anakin than Padme was her sister. Sola's entire face lit up in a mischievous grin and Padme groaned as she realised that the entire Christmas was just going to be a platform for her sister's teasing. Just then, Ryoo and Pooja sprinted around the corner and skidded to a halt when they noticed Anakin, Pooja tripping over her sister and almost falling to the ground. Both eyes widened almost comically as they blinked up at the unfamiliar, gigantic stranger, their mouths falling open into adorable little _'o's._

Padme stepped up beside Anakin, giving his hand a squeeze just as Ryoo asked as bluntly as her mother, "who's that?"

"This is Anakin," Padme told her niece, bending to her level.

Ryoo eyed him suspiciously. "Is he your boyfriend?" she asked.

Giggling at her neice's forwardness, Padme nodded, "yes, Ryoo. Anakin is my boyfriend."

The eight-year-old screwed up her face in disgust and made silent, gagging noises, muttering, "ew, yuck," under her breath. Anakin chuckled and crouched down beside Padme.

Pooja, the younger, more naïve of the two, was far less sceptical and ran forward. "I'm Pooja," she introduced herself, still shorter than Anakin even when he was crouched. She held out her little hand in a very formal manner and Anakin laughed, taking her hand in his and shaking it lightly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Pooja," he said seriously, bending to kiss the top of her hand, and the little girl shrieked with giddy laughter. "Are you a princess?"

She shook her head, her little brown pigtails whipping about her face. "No."

Anakin gasped in mock-shock, clutching a hand to his chest. "Oh, but you must be," he exclaimed in a very animated voice. "Only a princess could be this beautiful."

Padme couldn't help but smile at her little niece's expression, her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed and her smile was enormous. It was all very adorable and as she observed the interaction, Padme suddenly noticed how easy Anakin seemed to be handling her nieces. He was good with children, she decided. Watching him with Pooja, the way his entire expression lit up and his eyes sparkled, was one of the most beautiful things she had ever witnessed, and she felt a great surge of affection for him.

"Are you going to marry Aunty Padme?" Pooja asked, her blue eyes full of hope and her bottom lip stuck out almost pleadingly.

At the sudden question, Padme blanched. She was about to scold her niece for asking such a personal question, when she felt the heat of Anakin's piercing gaze. She met his eyes and had to swallow at the intensity of those warm pools of blue. He didn't say a word. He didn't have to. The intention was right there, sizzling in the air. Padme was sure everyone could feel it. _Yes,_ the unspoken response almost suffocated her and she felt her breath catch in her throat.

"Maybe one day," Anakin told Pooja with a nonchalant shrug, successfully hiding his true intentions from everyone but Padme.

That seemed to be a good enough answer for the five-year-old and she beamed, her eyes flicking between Anakin and Padme, until Sola told her to go outside and stop smothering them. As they rose to their feet, Padme met his eyes once more and trembled under the certain desire that was evident there; so clear, she could never doubt his affection for her. Ever.

"Sorry about that," Sola apologised. "Kids, right?"

Anakin brushed it off good-naturedly with a hearty laugh, but Padme couldn't join in. The word _kids_ suddenly brought back all of her anxiety and she swallowed the lump in her throat. Only Anakin seemed to notice her change in demeanour and reached for her hand. He stepped closer to her and peered into her eyes, into her very _soul_ and she knew she wouldn't be able to hold it in much longer. _Tell him,_ her conscience screamed at her. _Tell him now._ But she couldn't. Not with her family here.

"Padme… are you alright?" His lips were at her ear, his thumb rubbing over her knuckles.

Her eyes flicked between him, her mother and her sister, who were giving her strange looks, and she nodded her head. "I-I'm fine."

That wasn't enough for Anakin. He ducked his head to meet her at eye-level. "Your hands are shaking," he whispered. "What's bothering you?"

Her teeth sank into her bottom lip and she blinked her eyes at him, hoping to convey her meaning without talking. "Not here, Ani," she told him under her breath. "I _can't…_ not here."

With a frown, he tightened his grip on her wrist, expression hardening. " _Padme…_ "

His protest was cut off when she pressed her lips against his briefly, swallowing his words, because she couldn't tell him in front of her mother. She needed him to understand that. Even if he didn't understand, he accepted her silent request, because he simply returned her kiss sweetly and ran his hands through her undone hair. He held her focus for a moment as they pulled away, and she sawthe meaning behind it, _demanding_ that he knows what was going on. And she returned his gaze with the confirmation that she _would_ tell him, when they were alone.

It was when they were finally alone, in the privacy of Padme's bedroom, that Anakin demanded answers. "What's wrong?"

She didn't know how to respond. What was the proper way to explain what was going on? _Ani, I think I'm pregnant but I don't know because I'm too scared to take a test and find out for sure?_ As much as she had been thinking about how her speculated pregnancy would affect her life, she'd thought little about how she'd actually break the subject to Anakin. It needed to be done in a way that didn't frighten him or worry him, but _how_ was the bigger question.

The more she stewed, the more nervous she became. Her fingers trembled beside her and she was gnawing so intently on her lip that it was like to bleed soon. Anakin regarded her with a look of great concern, scrutinising every inch of her face until he took her shoulders tightly between his hands, in order to steady her. "Angel, you're _killing me_ ," he pleaded in a tortured voice, searching the lines of her face for any sort of clue. "What is it? Are you sick?" She shook her head. "Are you hurt?" Again, she shook her head. "Are you in trouble?"

"No, Ani… I – " she paused as a shudder wrecked through her.

"Then _what,_ Padme?" Anakin begged of her. "What is it you can't tell me?"

Taking a deep breath, Padme closed her eyes and willed herself to remain calm. " _I'm late,_ " she whispered into the air, as though if she said it any louder it would make it more real and she wanted to remain in denial. When she finally opened her eyes again, she saw Anakin staring at her in confusion, one eyebrow partially raised. It would have been quite funny if Padme didn't have such a deep pit in her stomach. "I'm late, Ani, you know? My _period_ _is late._

His eyes widen in comprehension and his mouth fell open just a little. "Oh." It was all he said. The two of them remained silent for a few minutes and Padme suddenly regretted telling him. That sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach only worsened and she thought she was going to be sick. "Are you…?"

"I don't know," she told him, honestly, casting her eyes to the floor because she couldn't bear to look at him. Not when he was reacting this way. "I haven't taken a test yet."

"W-why?" His voice was trembling and deathly quiet and he was _nervous,_ just like her.

She bit her lip, still refusing to look at him. "I-I wanted to wait until you were home… in case – " she broke off as she felt tears well in her eyes and she choked them back. Now was not the time to cry.

Anakin nodded nervously, his face deadly serious. "Right. We probably should find out then."

He left the room and Padme felt a single tear spill down her cheek and she brushed it away, feeling incredibly foolish. What else had she expected from Anakin. He was shocked. Just like she was.

They were silent as Anakin drove them to the nearest drug store, but when Padme snuck glances at him, he met her eyes. They were unreadable. A mixture of confusion and pain and guilt and anger. It was unsettling. Anakin was usually so easy to read. Padme could read every one of his expressions without him even saying a word, and yet, now, she got nothing. At first, she wondered how he was remaining so calm, until she saw his fingers clutching the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles turned white, and still his hands trembled. He was just as anxious about this.

Anakin parked Obi-wan's truck and followed Padme inside, his arm looping around her waist and pulling her into his side. It was his way of comforting her, for his words had failed him and she knew he was trying his best, for her sake. How could she begrudge him that?

The number of different pregnancy test brands overwhelmed Padme and as she mulled over which to choose, Anakin – who had run out of patience – roughly pulled one randomly off the shelf and stormed over to the cashier, throwing the cash rather aggressively on the counter and demanding the bathroom key. Padme stared at him, incredulously. He was acting so… _erratic_ and it unnerved her.

"I'll wait for you out here," he told her as they rounded the corner to where the single toilet cubicle lay off to the side. Then he kissed her quickly on the cheek and Padme nodded, nervously opening the cubicle door. It was extremely daunting, for she knew there was a high change of her life being changed forever inside that cubicle. She opened the package with shaking fingers, desperately trying to keep herself under control but finding it difficult to breathe. The walls seemed to close in on her, and although she wasn't particularly claustrophobic, she felt extremely uncomfortable. Outside, she could hear Anakin pacing back and forth in front of the door. The sound only served to grate on her already-fragile nerves.

It took several minutes for the test to take effect, but once it had, Padme's breath caught in her throat as she saw the result. She unlocked the door and stepped out, to see Anakin stopped, mid-pace, staring at her intently, waiting for her to speak.

"Well?"

She swallowed and looked at him. "Ani…"

She didn't get a chance to finish because he suddenly began muttering a string of ramblings and continued his frantic pacing. "Okay. Okay. That's fine. We can do this. I – I'll drop out of college and – "

"Ani," Padme said again, trying to get his attention, but he was refusing to listen to her.

" – and I'll go back to Obi-wan and get my old job back so I can provide for us. We can m-marry, if you want? You'll want that, I think… I mean, that makes it more proper, right? And I can dig into my savings and save to buy a house and – "

"Ani!" Padme cried, reaching him in four strides and gripping his forearms, forcing him to slow down. "I'm not pregnant."

It took several minutes for Anakin to process what she had just told him, for his mouth opened and closed several times and his brows furrowed and he looked at the ground, and then back up and her, and then back at the ground again. Padme simply waited for him to come to his senses. "You're – you're not pregnant?" he asked.

She shook her head and held out the little device, which clearly displayed a thick, horizontal line. _Negative._ "I'm not pregnant," she repeated again. She expected to feel a huge weight lift off her shoulders, a weight she had been carrying for four days, but instead she only felt… _sad._ There was a part of her, small though it was, that felt disappointed in the fact that she wasn't pregnant. It was the same part of her that felt that urge to be maternal. Only now that she _wasn't,_ Padme realised that she might have _liked_ to be.

Anakin's expression was one torn between relieved and disappointed, and she realised he felt the exact same way. "Well," he began and he slid his hands up her arms to rest on her shoulders. "That's… good, I guess?"

Padme let out a sort of bewildered laughter as she nodded her head, but it quickly turned into a sob of despair and suddenly, Anakin's arms were around her, holding her tightly and she was clutching him desperately as time stilled. "It's okay, it's okay," he told her in soothing tones and she nodded against him.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed when she pulled back.

Anakin wiped her tears away with his thumb and shook his head at her. "Don't apologise. There's nothing to be sorry about." His hand cupped her cheek and he held her gaze with his own. "Padme, if it had been positive, I _swear_ I'd do everything I could to provide for you. I'd – "

"I know, Ani" she gave him a soft smile, covering one of his hands with hers. "I wouldn't want you to give up college. That's not fair."

Anakin shook his head earnestly. "It wouldn't matter," he told her. "I never knew my father, Padme. I – I couldn't let my child have the same fate. I'd be there, always."

Hearing him speak so honestly and opening made Padme sob and she reached up on her toes and kissed him fiercely, pouring her unyielding love for this wonderful man of hers into him, letting him know just how much his confession had meant to her.

"For what it's worth," she whispered against his mouth. "I think you'll make a great father, one day."

Anakin beamed at her and ran his hand through her hair in such a loving, tender action. "And you'll be an amazing mother."


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: So, after all the intense stuff I've put poor A and P through in the last few chapters, I decided that they needed a chapter that was devoted to pure fluffiness and sexiness and cuteness. So, I delivered this.**_

 _ **I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! xx**_

* * *

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" Anakin asked her. They were sitting in his living room, helping Shmi decorate the Christmas tree.

"Nothing," Padme informed him, handing him a large, silver bauble from her kneeling position on the ground. Due to his substantial height, Anakin was charged with decorating the top, whilst she and Shmi knelt on the floor. "Why?"

He bent and took it from her. "It's Christmas Eve," he explained. "And, well, it's kind of a tradition to go to the park. They always have carols on Christmas Eve. Obi-wan and I have been taking Ahsoka for years. And… well – " he broke off and ran a hand through his hair. Padme loved it when he was like this, all awkward and unsure. It was adorable. "I was wondering if you wanted to come with us?"

She beamed up at him brightly, touched by his words. Though she knew how much he loved her, it was always a pleasant surprise when he did things like this; included her wholly into his life as though she was meant to be there. As though he couldn't imagine her _not_ being there. "I'd love to, Ani."

"It's nothing too flash," he continued, though his entire expression was considerably brighter now. "It's always freezing, but we take blankets and mom always makes this massive thermos of hot chocolate, and sometimes Ahsoka bakes something."

"I'll make brownies," Padme decided. "They're my specialty."

At that comment, Anakin's lips quirked into a familiar teasing smirk, and he raised an eyebrow at her. " _You_ have a specialty?"

She huffed proudly and stuck out her bottom lip. "Yes. I do. Chocolate brownies with white chocolate chips and pecans."

With a soft chuckle, Anakin bent and kissed her sweetly, merely a chaste brush of his lips against her, but it is enough to make her crave more. And she would have. Would have pulled him roughly on top of her by his hair and ravaged his soft mouth until his lips were swollen, but his mother was in the room, so she stayed where she was.

"I look forward to it then," he smirked against her mouth, before standing up again and adjusting the golden star that sat right at the very top of the tree. "You can bring your nieces along, if you want. I'm sure they'd like it."

"I'll talk to Sola when I get home."

Anakin's face fell just a little at the word _home_ , his beautiful eyes growing sad. "When are you going home?"

"When you get sick of me and tell me to leave," she laughed, poking her tongue out at him, trying to lighten the mood.

He remained serious, his gaze never leaving hers. She could swear he could see right through her, into her very soul. Yet, she couldn't look away. "I'll never get sick of you," he told her, completely sincere and honest and, if Shmi wasn't there, Padme might not have been able to stop herself from leaping into his arms. So, it was a good thing she was.

Instead, she winked cheekily at him. "Then I guess I'm never leaving. You're stuck with me forever, Skywalker."

Finally, Anakin's demeanour returned to that of his normal, light-hearted self and he smirked mischievously at her. The air between them was thick and heady and sizzled with electricity. There was so much unspoken tension, so much underlying _passion_ that she became dizzy with it. Padme was sure Shmi could feel it, for she suddenly excused herself from the room, under the pretence of going to the bathroom.

Once she left, Anakin strode over to Padme, pulled her up by her arms and suddenly crushed his mouth against hers, knocking the breath out of her. He drank her passion, tongue licking deep into her mouth, tasting her, and she trembled under the intensity of it. When he pulled back, his eyes were hooded with lust and his hands came up to cup the sides of her face tenderly.

"I thought she'd never leave," he moaned, his voice rough with longing and desire as he kissed all over her face, dusting his lips across every inch of skin. "I've been wanting to do that all afternoon. I was going _crazy._ " He actually sounded _pained_ , and it aroused Padme more than she thought was possible.

She pressed herself closer to him, her fingers twirling through his hair, and nipped his lip affectionately. "I'm glad you finally did," she told him. "I might have made a scene, otherwise."

Anakin grinned against her mouth. "Really? What kind of scene?" He then slid his mouth along the line of her jaw, occasionally scraping his teeth against the bone, before he reached her ear and pressed a series of delicate kisses there. She was acutely aware of his fingers digging into her hip bones, and how one hand was slowly creeping its way lower, over the curve of her ass. He gave it a rough squeeze and she pulled his hair in response.

"Let's just say it wouldn't be something your mother would want to see," she purred in his ear, and he groaned, before claiming her mouth yet again, and she surrendered to his passionate kiss.

"You'll have to show me how that would've played out," he taunted and she shivered, nodding her head, muttering _"later."_ It was only with sheer determination that she managed to untangle herself from him, for if she stayed in his arms even a second longer, poor Shmi Skywalker would come back to find her son naked as Padme had her way with him. And she was in no mood to embarrass herself like that.

When Shmi returned, she invited Padme to stay for dinner, and she couldn't refuse the offer. For a woman battling breast cancer, and who'd already received her first chemo treatment, Shmi was exceptionally jovial. Padme didn't think she could find a happier woman. She treated her like one of the family, fully accepting her into her son's life, and she felt a pang of guilt. If only her father had returned such a welcome to Anakin. The thought made her grow sad.

She went home after dinner, much to Anakin's disappointment, despite his all too enthusiastic persuasion, promising him _soon._ As much as she wanted to be with him, Christmas was about her family, and she wanted to spend as much time with them as possible. She saw even less of them than she did of Anakin during the year.

The next day, she enlisted the help of her nieces to make her specialty brownies. Ryoo, despite being quite a cynical child, was a very helpful assistant, whereas her little sister was more a hindrance. The first time they had tried to put the tray in the oven, Pooja had miss-stepped and it shattered to the ground. Luckily, they'd managed to achieve success the second time without any mistakes, and Padme joined her nieces in licking the gooey, chocolatey mixture out of the bowl. At the end, chocolate was all over their faces and hands, and Sola had decided that would be the perfect time to take photos.

Padme and her family met Anakin out on the street at 5pm that night. His mother and Obi-wan and Satine were there, but, even more surprising, was Ahsoka and a _boy._ They were bashful and adorable, holding hands and whispering to each other, and Padme admired them fondly as Anakin slung his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side.

"I didn't know Ahsoka had a boyfriend," she said as Anakin pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He growled low in his throat, his eyes narrowing as he watched the two youngsters walk ahead of them, arm in arm.

"I didn't know until I came back home. She decided to keep _that_ from me," he muttered bitterly, and Padme laughed, kissing his cheek.

"Oh, relax _,_ Ani," she chastised him. "She can't be expected to tell you everything. A girl always has her secrets."

Anakin raised his eyebrows at her. "What are your secrets?"

Padme merely grinned. "If I told you, then they wouldn't be secrets, would they?" Anakin huffed, but said no more, and they simply walked in silence. It had finally stopped snowing, which Padme was grateful for, but it was still freezing. She was extremely glad she'd decided to wear a beanie. The park was only a few blocks up the road, and Padme enjoyed being out in the air. As they walked, Pooja and Ryoo sprinting ahead, she suddenly felt something freezing cold sliding down her neck. Shrieking, she jumped several feet in the air and began dancing around frantically as she felt her skin burn with the cold.

In her panic, she finally trained her eyes on Anakin, to see him trying, and failing, to keep a straight face. She glowered at him as he began to roar and shake with laughter.

"Anakin!" she hollered at him, bending down and scooping up a handful of snow. She pegged it at the side of his face, but he ducked quickly, and it landed with a thud several feet behind him. Not wanting to give up, she began chasing him, pelting him with misshapen snowballs, and he fired them right back. Soon enough, Ahsoka, her boyfriend and Padme's two nieces had joined in, and the six of them had begun an all-out snowball fight in the middle of the street.

Trying for a seduction technique, Padme beckoned Anakin over with her finger, licking her lips sensually, and he paused, evaluating whether he trusted her enough to go over to her. In his deliberation, she took advantage and threw a snowball at him, hitting him square in the jaw. He groaned in discomfort and rubbed his cheek gingerly.

"Oops," Padme said innocently, batting her eyelashes. "I'm sorry, did I get you?"

Anakin's blue eyes flashed dangerously and he shook his head, causing melting ice to drip down his face, before he ran after her. Despite the head start she had, he caught up to her quickly, seizing her around the waist and hoisting her over his shoulder. She cried blue murder, punching his back, ordering him to put her down. When he eventually did, she went to hit him again, when he kissed her fiercely, pulling her roughly against him, and she melted into it.

It was when they pulled back, that Anakin winked at her and then smashed snow into her hair, until water dripped down her face and all she could do was stand there and take it. "I'd say sorry, but I'm not," he teased, kissing the tip of her freezing nose. As he sprinted away, he was suddenly attacked by Ryoo and Pooja, who ganged up on him, pelting him relentlessly. Ahsoka sent a rather large, well-aimed snowball at him and it hit him in the back of his knees, causing him to fall over.

" _Snips,_ " he growled and Padme watched, almost crying with laughter, as Ahsoka hurried over and dumped a large pile of snow right on his face, half-burying him.

"Wow, Skyguy. Who thought you'd get beaten by three girls, huh?"

Anakin brushed the snow from his face, and knocked Ahsoka's knees out from underneath her, causing her to fall on top of him, and the two of them began wrestling in the snow, until Obi-wan scolded Anakin for getting Ahsoka's clothes wet. Padme approached him once he stood up and brushed snow out of his hair. He was wet and his lips were blue and he was visibly shaking.

"Ani, you're freezing," she told him. "You should go home and have a shower. Change your clothes."

"I'm fine, Padme," he insisted stubbornly, though his teeth were chattering.

She frowned. "No, you're going to get frostbite." She took his hand and pulled him along behind her. "We'll catch up to you later," she told her sister as they headed back inside Anakin's house. He followed behind reluctantly, but she didn't care what he thought. She didn't want him to get sick.

"Get your clothes off and get in the shower," she ordered once they were upstairs. He merely smirked at her, kicking off his shoes and yanking his sweater over his head. Once he was naked, he just stood there, cocking an eyebrow at her, as if daring her to order him around again. Padme swallowed, trying desperately not to act like him being naked in front of her had any effect on her at all and scowled at him. " _Now,_ Anakin."

She marched him into the bathroom, and turned on the hot water, all put pushing him into the shower. As she turned to walk back out, Anakin wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck wetly, his hands fumbling with the front of her jeans, pushing them down her legs. "Anakin, what are you doing?" she asked, sounding more lusty than she intended.

He laughed darkly against her skin. "I'm only getting in this shower if you do too."

He was tactical, Padme gave him that much. "They're waiting for us," she told him.

"Then we'd better make it quick."

Sighing, she slowly began to strip, pretending as though it was such a big chore, when she actually wanted this just as much as he did. Once she was as naked as he was, he pulled her in with him, underneath the steaming water, and kissed her. Water trickled down her face and the hot water burned her freezing skin, but it was nothing compared to the burning _need_ coiling inside her. Anakin was hard against her stomach and she whimpered in anticipation, curling her fingers into his wet hair and pulling them both back against the wall. He didn't waste any time in lifting her legs around his waist and surging inside her, and Padme was glad she'd decided to wear her diaphragm, as a precaution for later activities, because there was no way she could stop now. Not when he was so hard and thick and hot inside her, spearing into her with a ferocious intensity that she hadn't felt in over two weeks, and she clung to him desperately, nails digging into his back, head thrown back against the wall.

It was pure, primal _fucking_ and Padme was in ecstasy. Steam whirled around them, and she couldn't see anything, but she didn't care, because Anakin was grunting out her name again and again, his lips finding his favourite suckling spot on her neck as he fucked her deeper and deeper and she sobbed at the sheer, insane pleasure of it all.

"Fuck, _angel,_ I've missed you," he moaned. "So fucking much. Ugh, _so good_. You feel… _perfect_. Fucking perfect."

"Ani," she cried in response to his words. She loved it when he spoke to her, when he told her just how she felt. It turned her on more than anything. " _Oh._ "

He gripped under her thighs, so hard she was sure he would leave bruises, and she responded by dragging him by the hair back to her mouth and thrusting her tongue deep inside. "Are you close?" he asked her, voice strained. She nodded, eyes fluttering closed, as he groaned, "come on, angel. Come for me."

Her mouth opened in a silent cry as she shuddered around him just as he spilled himself inside her, snapping his hips almost painfully into hers. Once she had recovered, he lowered her down on shaky legs and pressed his forehead against hers, staring deep into her eyes. "So much for a shower," she laughed, eyes still hooded with lust.

Anakin grinned back at her. "I'm all warm now. No one needs to know." They stumbled out of the shower, shaking from their high, and clumsily dressed each other. When they eventually caught up to the others, who were already at the park, Sola gave them a suspicious look, raising her eyebrows at them. Padme felt her cheeks flush with heat.

"You two were certainly a long time," she pointed out, a teasing smirk pulling her lips.

Anakin shrugged, casually. "I couldn't find any clean socks," he covered smoothly.

"So, why is your hair wet, then, little sister?" she smirked, a knowing glint in her eyes. Padme shifted uncomfortably.

The carols started not long after and Padme settled down on the blanket, between Anakin's legs, leaning back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder as they sat. However, as the night progressed, she felt him turn towards Ahsoka more often than not and she sighed.

"Anakin, stop staring at them. They're just holding hands," she scolded.

"As long as that's all their hands do," he muttered darkly, expression hardening as he glared at the poor boy.

Padme shook her head. "Honestly, you're being ridiculous. Obi-wan's not making such a fuss."

"You don't have a little sister, alright. You don't understand." Ahsoka stood up, and the boy followed suit, and suddenly, Anakin was standing up, his arms crossed. "Where do you think you two are going?" he demanded gruffly, ignoring Padme's pleas for him to _sit down._

Ahsoka glared right back at him. "I'm going to the loo. Is that a problem?"

"Where are you going, then?" he directed his interrogation at the boy, who gulped nervously.

"To the bathroom," he replied timidly.

Anakin's scowled deepened. "Not together you're not."

Ahsoka was outraged. "Anakin! You can't tell him what to do." She put her hands on her hips and glowered at him, her expression venomous. Padme couldn't blame her to be honest. Anakin was being unreasonable. It wasn't as though there weren't separate bathrooms.

Not budging, Anakin said, "I can tell _you_ what to do, Snips."

"Ani, please," Padme tugged on his hand. "Let them be." He looked down at her, expression still stony, and she pleaded at him. With a sigh of defeat, he re-joined her on the blanket and they resumed their previous positions. Ahsoka stormed off swearing under her breath and calling for the boy, Lux, to follow, who hastily obeyed.

For the rest of the evening, Anakin and Ahsoka remained hostile towards each other and Padme found herself as the middle ground, even though she didn't ask to be. Her main task was to keep Anakin from getting involved, which she thought would be easy, but was much more difficult than she expected. Even when she pressed delicate kisses to his cheek, or ran her fingers over his forearms, he did not sway.

It was just after 10pm when they walked back home. Pooja had fallen asleep, and so Anakin had carried her home, cradling her to his chest and the sight made Padme swell with affection. It was an adorable sight, this tall, lean man carrying this tiny, little girl as though she weighed nothing. Honestly, he could be so irritating and then so sweet in a manner of seconds, Padme was constantly surprised by him. They helped Sola put the girls to bed, and Padme asked Anakin if he wanted to stay the night, to which he replied, "you don't even need to ask."

It was a luxury to actually sleep in a large bed, and Padme reveled in the fact that she wasn't squished, and that Anakin had room to spread his long limbs. Such a refreshing change from his tiny single bed at college. Later that night, she awoke with a ravenous hunger, and gently peeled herself out of Anakin's snug embrace and tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen. It was all set up for Christmas; a glass of milk, a handle of her mother's homemade cookies and a carrot laid out on the table for Santa Claus and Rudolph. Padme couldn't help but smile at the sight. It was then she noticed her brownies. There were only five left, sitting in their container, and her mouth watered at the sight. She hurried over and pulled one out, inhaling the delicious scent with a reverence. As she bit into the moist, doughy flesh of the chocolate brownie, she felt two strong arms loop around her waist, snaking underneath the hem of her pyjama shirt. She shuddered when she felt his hot breath at her ear.

"What are you doing up, angel?" Anakin asked, voice soft and rough, skimming his hands up her sides.

Padme sighed into his touch, letting her head fall back to rest on his shoulder as he pressed a gentle kiss to the side of her throat. Without saying a word, she turned her head to look at him, raising her half-eaten brownie up to his mouth, nudged it against his lips. Understanding her intent, Anakin opened his mouth, just enough for Padme to push the sweet between his parted lips, and he bit down slowly. "I was hungry," she whispered, her eyes glazing over at the sensual sight before her.

Anakin's expression darkened with lust and he swallowed, before snaking out his tongue to caress the tips of her fingers. The feel of him hardening against her was proof enough of his intent. She let him have his way with her, let him suck her fingers into his mouth, swirling his tongue around them, his intense gaze never leaving hers until she was a puddle of desperate _need_ underneath him. "You have chocolate all around your mouth," he informed her, gripping her chin and licking around the edges of her lips. Padme parted hers instinctively, letting him enter her, and she slid her fingers into his hair, holding him in place. He tasted like chocolate and she couldn't help but moan into the kiss and press eagerly back against him.

With a growl, Anakin took her hips roughly in his hands and spun her around, so she was pressed back against the counter. Deftly, he lifted her up and stepped between her legs, resuming his plundering of her warm, soft mouth. Padme's arms came around him, sneaking underneath his shirt to smooth across the hard muscles of his back. In response, Anakin sucked wetly at her pulse, sliding his lips along the pale column of her neck.

"Ani…" she whined, crossing her ankles and pulling him closer to her as he feasted on her neck. "We… we can't do this here." Her breath was short and raspy as she tried to ignore the bolts of pleasure shooting right down to her core at his tender affections.

He hummed against her skin, his hands roamed under her shirt to trace the swell of her breasts. One hand cupped her breast, thumb dragging across her nipple, tweaking it into a hardened peak and Padme unconsciously arched her back into his touch, silently begging him for more. "Why not?"

"B-because, someone might catch us." It horrified her, but there was also a part of her that thrilled at the thought. Everything was so much more exhilarating when there was a possibility of getting caught.

"No one's awake," he assured her, giving her nipple a rough pinch, causing Padme to inhale sharply at the insane pleasure. Her mewls only intensified when Anakin slid his hand down the front of her pants to rub her slick folds. " _Fuck,_ " he cursed. "I want you so bad, angel. So _fucking_ bad." To emphasise his words, he circled his hips against hers, letting her feel how hard he was for her underneath his pyjamas. She bit her lip in anticipation.

All thought processes had left her, replaced by pure, primal lust. "Ani, _please._ "

Before she could even register what was happening, Anakin was kneeling before her, yanking her pants down her legs, along with her panties and then his mouth was on her and all she could do was gasp. Her fingers threaded into his hair, massaging his scalp in aimless circles as he lapped gently at her pointed clit. The surges of pleasure he was causing were indescribable. Padme felt like she was flying. Her eyes rolled back into her head when he ran his wet tongue along her dripping sex, before plunging in and essentially fucking her. He kept his hands firmly on her hips, to keep them in place, and yet Padme was unable to keep from undulating into his touch, rocking against his face, urging him to _keep going._

"Oh. Ohyesohyes. Oh, _Ani,"_ she praised him with little, breathy gasps. "So good, Ani. Don't stop."

Her thighs clenched around his head and she drew him further into her, coating his face in her arousal. It amazed her how he constantly desired her. His need to please her, to satisfy her, ran so deep and Padme felt as though she would never get enough of it. How could she, when it felt so good to belong to someone so completely? To be worshipped and craved like a goddess?

Her toes curled in pleasure when Anakin let his fingers join in. The way he worked her, he knew exactly what to do to make her fall over the edge. Yet, he took his time, drawing out her release painfully slowly, winding her up so tightly, until suddenly, he curled his fingers deep inside her, brushing _that_ spot, and sucked harshly on her clit and she came, violently, bucking up against his face. His hand flew up to cover her mouth and muffle her cries, and she bit down on the flesh of his palm. Hissing against her sex, Anakin drank her juices, lapping up her arousal with slow, sensuous licks, until she came too.

When Anakin reappeared from between her legs, he pulled her closer by her hips and kissed her sweetly, lulling her with his tongue. "Well, that was a nice little experiment."

"E-experiment?" she stammered, her voice husky from the aftermath of her intense orgasm. She couldn't even focus properly on his face, her eyes were clouded over.

"Mmhmm," he hummed, smoothing his hands up her thighs. "I wanted to see which tasted better… you, or your _specialty_ brownies."

She quivered and bit her lip. "What's the verdict?"

He smiled and cupped her cheek, running his thumb against her swollen lips. "You, of course," he whispered and she actually _whined_ , so completely gone for him, her arousal spiking again at his words.

Padme tugged at his hair roughly, biting his earlobe. "Ani, I want you inside me. _Now,_ " she hissed, hands fumbling with his pants, and he grinned, about to hoist her around his waist, when a soft, high-pitched voice broke through their intimacy.

"Aunty Padme?"

Eyes widening in horror, Padme looked up too see little Pooja, standing in the doorway to the kitchen in her pyjamas, with a teddy bear clutched in one hand. She froze, her blood going cold, as her little niece cocked her head to the side in confusion. Padme dared not move, for from this position, Pooja couldn't see that her pants were around her ankles and she was naked from the waist up. Luckily, Anakin was shielding her body from embarrassment, but her entire face grew very hot and very red.

"P-Pooja," she blurted out, flashing her niece a smile. "What are you doing up, sweetie?"

The girl rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Is it Christmas yet?"

Padme glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 2:30am. Still, she didn't need to know that. "Not yet, sweetie. Why don't you go back to bed?"

Nodding, Pooja yawned again and stumbled back upstairs. Only once she was out of sight did Padme release the breath she had been holding. When she glanced up at Anakin, she saw the most infuriating grin on his face.

"Oh my god," she cried, horrified, and pushed him away from her, hastily pulling up her pants. She felt so embarrassed, so disgusting and dirty. "I can't believe that just happened." To add to her distress, Anakin merely burst out laughing, and Padme hit him sharply. "It's _not_ funny, Anakin!" she growled at him.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. "Would you calm down? It's not that bad."

"Not that bad?" she all but shrieked, for she didn't want to wake up any other family members. "My little niece just saw us… you know…?"

Anakin shrugged. "She didn't see anything," he said, trying to assuage her. "Besides, she's five. It's not like she knew what we were doing."

"That's not the point," Padme huffed. "What if she tells my sister? Sola's going to _kill me._ " She put her head in her hands to hide her humiliation.

He took her hands, rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles. "What's she going to say? We were just eating brownies?"

"You were eating a lot more than brownies, Anakin Skywalker," Padme reminded him, and when he winked at her, she couldn't help but laugh.

"I was hungry," he teased and she smacked him. He just picked her up under her thighs and carried her upstairs.


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: There are a few unexpected surprises in this chapter. A few reveals. All which set up more angst/drama in the future. Again, I refer to things that happened in The Boy Next Door, so if you haven't read that, you might be a little confused. But I hope you get the gist.**_

 ** _HAPPY NEW YEAR_**

* * *

Anakin's light snores were the first thing Padme heard when she woke on Christmas morning, and as she turned her head to gaze upon his sleeping form, a bemused smile crossed her face. She couldn't have wished for a more perfect gift. She knew she would want nothing again in her life if she could always wake up with Anakin beside her. He was lying on his stomach, head turned to breathe hotly on her face, one arm casually flung across her waist, the other pillowed under his head. Golden hair tousled from sleep, lips parted just enough for her to glimpse the tips of his perfect, white teeth. He was stunning. She longed to kiss him but was afraid to rouse him from his peaceful state, so, instead, she cast her eyes to the long, warm, heavy arm draped across her midsection.

Her inquisitive fingers darted out, lightly mapping the smooth, golden terrain dusted with fine blond hairs that were almost white in the dim, wintery morning. He didn't stir. With equal gentleness, she lifted his arm enough for her to slide out and join her family downstairs. As she rose to stand, she felt him grasp her fingers and mutter something unintelligible under his breath. It sounded an awful lot like her name, but was muffled with sleep so it was difficult to tell.

Padme paused and faced him. His blue eyes were open, groggy from sleep. "It's alright, Ani," she told him fondly. "Go back to sleep. I'm going downstairs."

Suddenly, she was yanked backwards and his arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her back down onto the bed and against his chest. She laughed softly when he buried his nose into her hair. "No."

"Anakin…" she chastised light-heartedly, rolling in his arms so they were pressed together, chest to chest. He nuzzled into her cheek, adorably possessive and Padme couldn't _not_ touch him, her fingers dancing across the nape of his neck. It was such a luxury, to have him here, beside her, and for her to be able to touch him like this. To feel his hard, smooth flesh under her eager fingertips. Real. Firm. Solid. _Real._ Every time he was ripped from her, she longed for this and this alone. Just his presence, which had such a powerful effect on her soul. He was like the very oxygen she breathed and without him she was suffocating.

"No," he groaned against her cheek. "Stay." His eyes remained closed.

It was _oh_ so tempting. Padme had always struggled to resist Anakin when he pleaded with her like this. Particularly when she wanted it just as much, to laze away the day with him and do absolutely nothing, since they had so little opportunities to do just that. Yet, she couldn't. Her family would be waiting for her. It wasn't fair.

"We can't stay in bed all morning," she insisted, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders as if to push him away. Her body protested strongly. The lure of his warm arms around her was strong. "It's Christmas. The girls will be up and – " she never got to finish for Anakin silenced her with his mouth in a slow, lazy kiss. One of his hands trailed up the line of her spine to cradle the back of her neck, tilting her head just enough for him to further delve into her willing mouth. Her eyes fluttered closed and she returned his passion reverently, letting her fingernail lightly scrape over the hard ridge of oblique muscle that peaked out from the waistband of his pants. It was some time before they parted for air, and even when they did, Anakin continued to smooth his lips over her skin, like he couldn't get enough of her. It was so sweet and tender and Padme couldn't help but smile.

He stopped just long enough to whisper, "Merry Christmas angel," and stared deep into her eyes. Padme though she could drown in those exquisite pools of blue. There was something so thrilling about hearing him say those words. It was their first Christmas together and such a special moment for both of them, and yet it held the promise of many, many more.

Instead of saying that though, Padme simply smiled, her hand coming up to brush stray curls from his eyes before taking his face in both hands. "Merry Christmas, Ani." The grin that broke out on his face was almost blinding in its beauty and she couldn't look away. He was simply gorgeous.

"Hmm? What's gorgeous?" Anakin's mouth quirked into a teasing smile and she blushed fiercely as she realised she had spoken aloud.

"Y-you," she whispered in partial embarrassment and he burst out laughing, running his fingers through her hair.

Anakin shook his head. "It's _you_ who's the gorgeous one, angel," he told her, leaning in to kiss her lips softly and she hummed in pleasure. "You're so beautiful I can hardly stand it." His eyes were bright and serious and she felt her heart constrict in her chest. Honestly, what did she ever do to deserve him? He was an absolute god-send.

The words caught in her throat, along with her breath, and she couldn't even utter a response. He had rendered _her_ , Padme Naberrie, speechless. So, instead of talking, she expressed her feelings in the only way she knew how to. She kissed him. It was passionate and consuming and electrifying, and she poured her entire soul into him, leaving her vulnerable and exposed in his arms but it was everything she could have wanted.

He didn't speak. He didn't have to. His unspoken affirmation of love hung in the air between them, swimming in the depths of his eyes. This morning, this moment, was perfection and Padme didn't want to leave it. She could have spent hours up there in her bedroom, with Anakin, doing nothing but getting lost in his eyes and his love, where the only thing that mattered was that she was his and he was hers and they were _together_. But, as always, there were expectations, and it was with a heavy, and reluctant sigh, that Padme removed herself from Anakin's arms and took his hand, pulling her up with her.

"Come," she beckoned, tugging him towards the door. "We should go."

Her family were already awake and waiting for them when they arrived downstairs, and Ryoo and Pooja let out delightful squeals when they realised they would finally get to open their Christmas presents. As the two girls emptied their stockings and began unwrapping their gifts from 'Santa Claus', Padme and Anakin took a seat on the sofa. The atmosphere was so full of love and light and happiness as presents were exchanged. It was much warmer than those isolated Christmas mornings spent with her father.

From her mother, she received new perfume, which had a delicious, fruity scent to it that she immediately adored. Sola had given both her and Anakin matching, ugly, Christmas sweaters as some sort of joke, which had made Anakin roar with laughter and then he'd donned it proudly, grinning at Padme. The sight was ridiculous; it was thickly woven, a dull maroon colour, with a picture of an orange cat in a Christmas hat printed on the front. Padme giggled at the sight and, at both Anakin and Sola's immediate insistence, pulled it over the top of her pyjamas.

"Aw, you two look hideous," Sola laughed. "It's adorable."

Padme rolled her eyes at her older sister, who she could swear acted so much younger than she was, sometimes. "Thanks, Sola."

Her sister merely winked. "What? It's not fair for you two to be the most attractive couple in the world. I had to bring you back down to our level."

At her comment, Anakin grinned smugly, all arrogant and puffed up and Padme sighed, elbowing him in the stomach. "Careful there, sis," she warned. "You don't want to go making Anakin's head any bigger than it already is. It might explode." She poked her tongue out at him when he huffed proudly.

"She's just pointing out the obvious, Padme. I can't help it that I'm _gorgeous_." He directed it at her, and she had the urge to hit him, knowing that he was making fun of her and her previous comment in the privacy of her bedroom. He liked to tease her, it was one of his greatest pleasures in life. And he had no trouble expressing that joy. Padme knew she shouldn't let herself react to his games, but she did, every time. It was almost too easy for him.

He must have sensed her irritation, for he pressed a kiss to her temple and then placed something small in her hand. It was box. And not just any box. A _Tiffany's_ box. How could any girl mistake that signature, teal blue of one of the most revered jewellery stores in the world? Her eyes widened as she realised what she was holding, gaze flicking between him and the box. Her mother and sister let out equal gasps of intrigue as they watched her trembling fingers take the silken, white ribbon and pull it, casting it into her lap. Swallowing the lump of surprise that had formed in her throat, Padme bit her lip and opened the lid.

"Oh, _Ani…_ "

There, lying on a bed of teal velvet, was the most beautiful bracelet she had ever seen. The silver sparkled brightly, so shiny that she could see her astonished face reflected in each rounded bead. At a juncture between two beads, was an equally delicate, equally bright infinity sign, joining it together. Her eyes grew moist as she regarded it. It was too much, far, _far_ too much. She knew that money was an issue, and with constantly flying to Boston, Anakin wasn't in the best financial position. It must have cost him dearly for something so beautiful. Her bottom lip trembled and when she finally tore her eyes away from the bracelet to look up at him, the slightly worried look in his eyes almost made her break down into tears.

Not caring that she was in front of her family, she threw her arms around his neck, crushing his body as close to her as was physically possible and muttered his name over and over into the crook of his neck. His hands rested on her hips and he pressed a sweet kiss to her hair.

"Anakin, you… you shouldn't have. It's – I don't…" she stammered as she tried to tame the wave of emotions that were surging through her.

"Do you like it?" he asked her, uncertain and insecure, eyes searching her face.

She beamed at him through moist eyes. "Oh, Ani, it's _beautiful._ " Her fingers traced each silver bead as though it was the most delicate of flowers. It was gorgeous. She did not deserve something so precious. Anakin took her wrist, smoothing his fingers over the bone, before pulling it into his lap. With gentle hands, he removed the bracelet from the box and fastened it around her wrist and she simply watched, awe-struck. Never had she received _anything_ like this before. Not even Clovis had spoilt her with such lavish gifts. Though, she knew, it wasn't the gift that mattered. She turned her wrist over to admire the little infinity symbol and felt all those emotions come rushing back. _Infinity._ Forever. This bracelet wasn't just a Christmas gift. It was a symbol, a symbol of Anakin's infinite love for her and she traced the figure eight lovingly, unable to keep the smile off her face.

Anakin ran a hand through his hair, looking adorably sheepish. "Aayla helped me go shopping. I mean… I chose it but – I didn't know the size and, well, I wanted a girl's approval, you know? In case you, well – in case it was hideous or something. But – "

She put her hand on his knee and his ramblings ceased when she squeezed his thigh affectionately. "It's perfect." The brilliant smile he gave her in return made her want to kiss him. Instead, she rose and retrieved a gift from under the tree, placing it in Anakin's lap. "I feel awful," she told him, quietly. "You got me something so wonderful and I – " her voice trailed off as Anakin ripped open the packaged and his eyes widened. Padme bit her lip nervously as she watched him.

"Padme…" he muttered, his voice slightly awestruck, as he pulled out the box set of Game of Thrones. His blue eyes were round and dancing with anticipation and he beamed at her. "This is… amazing! Can – can we watch it now?" He was almost bouncing in his seat, and the look was so adorable that Padme couldn't help but laugh.

"No, Anakin," she shook her head with a bemused smile. "Later."

His eyes narrowed just slightly. "But I'm so far _behind_ ," he complained dramatically. "I'm only up to season three. Rex has been threatening me with spoilers all semester!"

Padme rolled her eyes at him. Sometimes he acted like such a child. "Well, why didn't you just Netflix it then and catch up?"

Anakin paused, blinking at her with his mouth open, and cocked his head to side just slightly. "But you're not with me. It's our thing." The simplicity of it, as though it was the most obvious answer to Anakin, made her heart flip inside her chest. _Our thing._ It brought a smile to her face. Whenever they were together, usually tangled up in bedsheets and exhausted from lovemaking, they would burn through a couple of episodes together. Anakin was borderline obsessed. He would talk to Padme for hours afterwards about fan theories and plot holes and she would listen, watching the way he would light up, so endearing. She felt she could watch him for hours like that. He was just so fascinating.

It was then that Sola coughed loudly, forcing the two of them to look away from each other. Padme's cheeks grew hot as she realised she had locked eyes with Anakin for several minutes without blinking and she hadn't even noticed. He tended to have that effect on her. It was then that Anakin announced he needed to go back home and spend the morning with his mother. Thanking her for his gift, he kissed Padme sweetly on her cheek and ducked out the door and she watched him leave, a dreamy smile on her face. _Oh,_ how much she loved him. It frightened her sometimes, in its intensity.

She was brought back to life when she felt the weight of the sofa dip, and her sister sit beside her, reaching for her wrist. Padme watched, not really paying much attention, as Sola _oohed_ and _aahed_ over the beautiful bracelet. Her mind was elsewhere. She didn't deserve Anakin. Not truly. He treated her like a goddess, as though she was the most important treasure in the world. The way he regarded her, sometimes she wondered what she looked like through his eyes. He was determined to believe she was perfect, yet Padme knew otherwise. She was far from perfect.

"Well, aren't you a lucky girl," Sola quipped, flashing her a smirk. "I feel like you could learn a thing or two from Anakin, honey," she directed the comment to her husband, who was sitting on the floor with Ryoo, helping her dress her _Elsa_ doll as Pooja sat in his lap. Darred looked up at his wife and rolled his eyes.

The rest of the morning was spent preparing Christmas lunch, listening to her nieces adorable, high-pitched voices sing _Let it Go_ and _For the First Time In Forever_ at the top of their lungs. While it was cute the first four times, after the tenth, Padme was thoroughly sick of everything to do with _Frozen._ When she mentioned this to her sister, Sola simply groaned and mumbled something under her breath about some girl called Daisy's _stupid Frozen birthday party._

"You'll get used to this when you have kids one day, little sister," she sighed. "Three years ago it was _Tangled_. Before that it was _The Little Mermaid._ Every time I took Ryoo to a public swimming pool, she'd swim around and sing at the top of her voice." Though she made a face, Padme could tell that Sola found it endearing, and watched as her eyes drifted into the living room, to see her daughters dancing around Darred with gleeful smiles on their little faces.

Once the turkey was in the oven, Sola took Padme upstairs to her bedroom and gave her a soft parcel wrapped in pale pink tissue paper.

"Sola…?" she fingered the delicate wrappings.

Shrugging, her sister smiled. "This is your real present. I didn't want you to open in front of the girls… or mom for that matter." There was a mischievous lilt in her voice that worried her, just a little, and she sceptically ripped open the tissue paper, and her mouth parted as she realised what it was. Sheer fabric of the palest blue. Her favourite colour. She pulled the garment from the wrappings and couldn't help the little gasp slipped past her lips. It was a chemise, with tiny straps and a little triangular top that flared into an A-line skirt. Paired with it was a pair of lace panties of the same pale blue. It was the most delicate and beautiful item of clothing she'd ever held.

"Oh my…" she whispered, unbelieving. Never had she ever owned something so… _luxurious_ before. Something sexy.

Sola beamed. "I know blue is your colour. I thought you deserved to own something like this; something to make you feel like a _woman._ Might spice up the bedroom." At that comment, Padme's mind was suddenly occupied by an image of Anakin's expression as she stood in this before him, and her face grew hot. "From what I hear, though," Sola continued slyly, "you don't need any help in _that_ department."

Padme blanched and glanced timidly at her sister, swallowing when she noticed the curved, questioning eyebrow. "W-what do you mean?"

Scoffing, Sola crossed her arms and frowned. "Really, Padme. The _kitchen?_ " Padme flushed in humiliation and averted her eyes. So, she _had_ found out. "You couldn't have kept it in your pants until you were in your room?"

"I'm sorry," she pleaded, not knowing what else to say. She felt terrible. Humiliated. Embarrassed. "It just sort of… _happened._ Sola, I swear, if I'd known Pooja was there, I wouldn't have – "

Sola dismissed her apology with a wave of her hand. "She didn't know what she saw." With a heavy sigh, she placed her hand on Padme's shoulder. "Look, I understand. I really do. I was young once too, you know. But, could you just, while we're here at least, keep it in the bedroom?"

Padme nodded immediately, muttering sincere apologies again and again until Sola told her to give it a rest. Regardless, Padme made a solemn vow to not let her desire for Anakin lead to any more uncomfortable situations whilst her nieces were present. She could be strong enough for that, surely.

When they went back downstairs, her mother informed her that Christmas lunch would be ready in about an hour, and asked Padme to run next door and tell Shmi. Nodding, Padme did just that. She was eager to see Anakin's mother, to tell her what a wonderful son she had and how grateful she was to have him in her life. The woman deserved a medal, she found herself thinking with a smile, having raised him all on her own for twenty years.

When she knocked politely on the door and it eventually opened, she expected to see Shmi, or Anakin smiling at her from inside. Instead, when it opened, she looked up into the unfamiliar face of a man she didn't recognise. It wasn't Shmi's husband. It definitely wasn't Anakin. He was short, with greying hair that was receding at his temples and a curved, hooked nose. Eyes of a deep amber peeked out from underneath thick, hooded eyebrows. There was almost an intimidating presence about him, but when he looked on Padme, his facial expression softened and he smiled at her.

"You must be Padme," he said, holding out his hand.

Nodding, Padme took it. "Hello," she said politely, though her mind was reeling. Who was this man? What was he doing here? How did he know who she was? She'd been to Anakin's house countless times during the summer and had never caught even a glimpse of him.

Before she had a chance to ask the burning question, Anakin's head appeared in the background, and he called her name, rushing towards them happily. Though she was pleased to see him, she flicked her eyes back to the strange man before her, as if prompting Anakin to begin introductions. He blinked several times, before understanding her intent and gave a curt nod.

"Padme, this is my uncle," he said, gesturing to the man. "Sheev Palpatine."

"Oh. It's nice to meet you." Her gaze fell on Anakin, surprised that she had never heard of a Palpatine before. She hadn't even known he had an uncle. If he had, where had he been all of Anakin's life? Why hadn't he helped Shmi raise him? But she knew better than to ask such questions, even of Anakin. They were far too personal.

"He flew in last night," Anakin explained.

Palpatine nodded. "I honoured to finally meet you, my dear. Anakin has told me so much about you. I hope you don't mind if I join you and your family?"

Padme shook her head and flashed him a bright smile. "Of course. The more the merrier. We have more than enough food." She then turned her attention back to Anakin and informed him of her mother's message and he ducked back inside, calling to Shmi. She and her husband soon appeared and the five of them headed over to Padme's house.

Anakin walked up ahead with his uncle, and Padme fell into step beside Shmi, watching the interaction curiously. She'd never seen him so… _happy_ before. There was a bounce in his step and he was talking with such animation, his hands waving around enthusiastically and, when he looked back at her, the grin on his face was so wide that all she could do was try to return it with as much gusto.

"My brother has been living in Russia for many years," Shmi explained as they walked. "It's good for him to be in Anakin's life again."

Padme smiled. "He certainly looks happy. I've never seen him so…"

"Alive?" Shmi suggested and there was this enormously proud glint in her eyes.

"Yes," she agreed.

Shaking her head, Shmi sighed happily. "My dear, that is the way he looks when he talks about you. Ani loves you very much."

Hearing such words from Anakin's mother made her pulse race and her chest feel lighter than air. "I love him too. He's just so…" she beamed up at Shmi, her eyes growing moist with affection. "You have a wonderful son. I just want to thank you."

The woman reached out and took Padme's hand, her eyes shining, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "No, darling Padme, it's _me_ who should be thanking you." Her voice was thick with emotion. "You've been the best thing in Ani's life. He's… he's become who he's supposed to be and it's all because of you."

Padme felt undeserving of such praise. There was nothing she could say to that, nothing at all, and so she didn't. They walked in silence and Padme felt happier than she had in a long time. As though she was, truly, part of something that was bigger than anything she had expected.

As they entered the house, her mother approached her, holding a small parcel, and handed it to her daughter. "This came for you the other day," she explained. "I forgot to give it to you."

Padme raised her eyebrows in confusion. "Who's it from?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. She wasn't expecting any gifts. Unless it was from her father.

Jobal shrugged, before turning around and tending to the turkey that lay on a pan in the oven. "I'm not sure. It's come from Boston though, so maybe one of your Harvard friends."

That confused Padme even more. She'd already received her gift from Dorme. Who else could possible send her a gift, and know that she was staying with her mother. The burning curiosity inside her bubbled to the surface, and she quickly opened it. It was a Christmas tree decoration; which was even more bizarre. A dove with an olive branch between its beak. A _peace_ symbol. That only added to the confusion.

Something dropped to the floor, a card, and when she bent to retrieve it, her breath caught in her throat. She recognised that handwriting. _No,_ _it can't be._ Her fingers trembled as she opened the card, eyes scanning the page frantically. Padme squeezed her eyes shut, as though she couldn't believe what it was she was reading. Her blood was pumping loudly through her veins, and she thought she was going to be sick. This couldn't be happening. Not now.

Jobal frowned. "Are you feeling alright, sweetheart?" she asked, concerned.

Nodding, Padme flashed her a weak smile. "I'm fine. Just a bit dehydrated I think. Do you mind if I lie down a bit?"

"Of course, dear."

As she went to move into the living room, she felt her sister follow her, hot on her heels. They were barely out of sight, before Sola's hand flew to her shoulder and spun her around, scanning her face intently with a sharp frown.

"Who's that from?" she demanded. "You're as pale as a ghost."

Biting her lip, Padme handed Sola the card, unable to form words.

 _Padme,_

 _It's Christmas. It's the season for forgiveness. At least, it's the season for second chances. If you're feeling overly festive, give me a call. There are things that need to be said. Things that have been unsaid to long._

 _R.C._

"R.C?" Sola asked, flipping the card over to see a phone number scrawled on the back. "Who's R.C?"

It took everything Padme had to keep her voice under control as she muttered the words, "Rush Clovis."

The name caused Sola to swear under her breath, her expression hardening and her fists clenching. Padme could see that she was about to rip the card in half, and hurried snatched it from her fingers. "Who the fuck does he think he is, contacting you now?" she growled aggressively, and Padme sincerely hoped that neither of her nieces were in ear shot.

"I don't know," Padme admitted. She was just as confused as her sister. It had been two years now, since they had broken up. She'd well and truly moved on. The last thing she wanted, or expected, was for him to force his way back into her life. And yet, there was a part of her, a small part, that was burning with curiosity. What did he want to talk to her about? What had he meant by forgiveness and second chances? It appealed to Padme's compassionate heart.

"Throw it out," Sola spat. "Rip it. Burn it. You don't need that asshole in your life, Padme."

Padme glanced down at the card in her hand. She knew what she should do, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. "No," she muttered quietly.

"Padme," Sola gripped her shoulders, almost shaking her. "He broke your heart. Why would you want to see him again? Do you still have feelings for him or something?"

"Of course not," she cried instantly, horrified at the very thought. "I just want to hear what he has to say. I deserve that, after two years, don't you think?"

She was about to answer, when she heard her name, "Padme?" Turning, she saw Anakin peeking his head around the corner, a look of utmost concern on her face. As he strode into the room, she flashed him an overly bright smile, surreptitiously hiding the card from his view. Thankfully, he wasn't looking at her hands. He was too busy scrutinising her face.

"Are you alright?" he asked, worry lacing his voice. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, Ani," she replied immediately, before her sister could interrupt. "Just, family stuff, that's all. I'll be out soon." When he made no attempt to move, she stretched up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Promise."

Anakin nodded stiffly and left the room. Once they were alone again, Sola turned on her. "What was that about?"

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't told him, have you?"

Padme averted her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Groaning, Sola crossed her arms, peering at her through narrowed eyes. "Don't play dumb with me, Padme. You haven't told Anakin about Clovis."

"There's nothing to tell," she retorted defensively. "Why would I want to tell Anakin about my ex-boyfriend?"

Sola threw her hands up in exasperation. "Maybe because he broke your heart and it took you a year to get over him?" she said, and Padme winced at the painful reminder. "Or maybe because Anakin has a right to know about your past. That's what you do in relationships. You don't keep secrets!"

She was right. Padme knew she was right. There had been plenty of opportunities over the past six months for her to talk to Anakin about Clovis. But there had always been one, troubling thought that had prevented her. "I'm not keeping it secret," she explained. "I will tell him, I'm just – "

"Scared?" Sola taunted rudely, and Padme glared at her.

" _Worried_ ," she corrected. "Anakin's in such a good place right now. He's really got his life together. I don't want to do anything that will jeopardise that."

Sola gawked at her like she was crazy. "What does that have to do with Clovis?"

With a heavy sigh, Padme sat down on the sofa, letting the card fall into her lap. Anakin was very protective of her. If he knew about Clovis, about what he had done to her, she feared for him. She could picture it now, his face growing hard with rage, his fists clenching, his blue eyes flashing, and then he'd exclaim in a fit of gallantry that he was defending her honour, like the knight in shining armour she knew he was. But, still, she was haunted by what he had told her so many months ago, what he'd been arrested for. The images flashes through her mind, but instead of a strangers body, it was Clovis'… beaten bloody, with Anakin standing over him and she trembled. She couldn't put Anakin in a position like that. Not when he had come so far. He'd feel obliged. It wasn't fair.

She explained this to her sister, very slowly, and Sola listened, as Padme poured out her innermost fear. Fear _for_ Anakin, not _of_ him. "He's not worth it," Padme explained sadly. "Clovis is not worth it. Anakin's very protective of me… he'd feel it was only right. I… I can't let him throw away all he's worked so hard for, just because of Clovis."

Sola mulled over her words, suddenly quiet, and Padme waited patiently. "You should still tell him," she muttered. "Anakin has a right to know. He's opened up to you about his past. It's only fair that you do the same."

"I will," Padme promised. "I will tell him. I just – it needs to be the right time."

Sola shook her head in frustration and stood up. "The longer you wait, the worse it's going to be. Don't ruin what you have because you're afraid of what _might be,_ " she said wisely. "You should throw out that letter," she added. "You don't owe Clovis anything."

Padme shook her head stubbornly. "I'm not doing this for _Clovis,_ " she insisted. "I'm doing it for me. I have a right to know why he did what he did. Besides, _he_ reached out to _me._ Everyone deserves a chance to be heard, don't they?"

"You're too compassionate for your own good, little sister. Don't let it come back to bite you."

Without another word, Sola left the room.


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: I'M SORRY! I'm sorry I've taken so long to update. Honestly, my life has been pretty crap as of late. I had a car accident, so I've been dealing with all that and trying to find a new car, plus working. So I haven't had any time to write.**_

 _ **I left you on a bit of a cliffy and I'm sorry that this update is so short, but trust me, there is another chapter coming up in a day or so to make up for it. Please don't be too hard on Padme for her choices... she means well. She's only human, after all.**_

 _ **Enjoy xx**_

* * *

After the unexpected surprise of Rush Clovis appearing once again in her life, Padme thought she was done with surprises. She couldn't handle another one. It was bad enough that the ghost of boyfriends past had shown up, out of the blue, and taken her completely by surprise, without even so much of a warning. Despite her sister's advice, Padme kept the letter. She knew she needed to talk to Anakin, and she would, she swore it. Just not now. It was Christmas. She didn't want to dampen the spirits by bringing up the awful topic of Clovis.

So, when her family were about to set down for Christmas lunch with Anakin's family, the last thing she expected was for the doorbell to ring. Excusing herself from the table, she hurried out to the front door and opened it, expecting charity workers, and had already prepared her speech for dismissing them. She didn't need to use it though, because standing there, in the doorway, was her father.

At first, she thought she had actually gone insane. She closed her eyes and pinched her thigh, hoping the pain would snap her out of whatever hallucination she was currently experiencing. When she opened them again, he was still there, watching her meekly, as she tried to come to her senses. This wasn't real. This couldn't be happening. It was some sort of joke, and any minute now, someone would jump out of the bushes and yell, "gotcha," and her father would disappear and it would all be forgotten.

Instead, Ruwee Naberrie gave her a small, slightly awkward smile and inclined his head. "Padme."

All she could do in return was gape, throat going dry, palms sweating despite the cold, as her mouth struggled to form a simple reply. "D-dad…?"

He seemed just as uncomfortable as she felt. His eyes were darting everywhere, looking anywhere but at her face. Padme had never seen him like this before. The father she knew was a strong man of conviction, never backing down or shying away from anything. It was almost sad, watching him struggle to meet her eyes, but the part of Padme that was still hurt from their last conversation enjoyed it.

"Yes," was all he said. A rather unremarkable greeting. Still not looking at her, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat and, for the first time, Padme thought her father looked very, very young.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded harshly, crossing her arms and frowning at him. Why was he here? Was he determined to ruin every scrap of happiness in her life?

The tone of her voice made him visibly wince, and when he finally met her eyes, she instantly felt guilty. He was hurt, his pride wounded, ego bruised, and that compassionate side of her reached out to him. "I… I just – " he stuttered. Padme's eyes widened. Her father never stuttered. He was very well spoken, a professor at an Ivy League. He always knew exactly what to say and how to say it, never tripping over his words like a young boy. Her expression softened, and that seemed to be just enough for him to form a proper sentence. "I wanted to give you this."

He held out a gift, wrapped in silver paper, and Padme stared at it, slightly dumfounded. He wasn't serious, was he? After everything that had happened between them, _this_ was how he was asking for forgiveness? She wanted to laugh at how pathetic the entire situation was.

"Really?" she cocked an eyebrow, keeping her firm composure. "You…" it was then she noticed his black Mercedes parked on the street, which only made her more bewildered. "You _drove_ all the way from Boston to give me a gift?" she cried, incredulous. "You could have just mailed it."

"Well… I also wanted to see you…" he conceded.

"I don't want you here." It was cruel, but it was also true. She was still angry at the way her father had reacted about Anakin. "Anakin's _family_ is inside."

He opened his mouth, as if to speak, but was stopped when Jobal appeared in the doorway, calling Padme's name. When she noticed her ex-husband, she froze, staring at him, and Padme watched the interaction between her parents with great interest. The last time she had seen them together in the same room, breathing the same air, was just after the divorce. If it was awkward before, it was nothing compared to the tension currently in the air.

"Ruwee."

"Jobal."

They stood in silence for the longest time, and Padme simply switched back and forth between them, begging someone to explain what was going on. For a moment, she felt as though she was thirteen again.

"You… you look well," her father said with a soft smile. There was a look on his face that Padme hadn't seen before. It was familiar though, she'd seen such a look on Anakin's face when she caught him watching her. The realisation made her blanch.

"As do you," Jobal replied sweetly and Padme swore a faint flush rose up on her mother's cheeks. It was then she understood that the tension in the air was not simply because of the uncomfortable situation they were in, but because her parents were reliving their _attraction_ to each other, and it made her squirm uncomfortably on the spot.

"We were just about to sit down for lunch," her mother explained and, much to Padme's horror, added, "why don't you come in and join us." It took every ounce of willpower that she possessed not to gawk as her father nodded his head and swiftly went inside, ducking his head under the door a little.

Padme followed, speechless, as though she was in a dream, but was yanked out of it when her mother brushed passed her. Reaching out, she took a firm hold of Jobal's wrist and tugged her, forcing her to stop.

"Mom!" she hissed under her breath. "What is he doing here?"

Jobal blinked several times, before flashing her a small, shy smile. "I invited him," she replied, a small nonchalant shrug accompanying her words. Padme stared at her mother, eyes wide, as though she was crazy. Surely, she hadn't heard correctly. Her parents hadn't seen each other in years, and suddenly her mother was inviting her father to Christmas? It didn't make sense. Nothing seemed to add up.

"Why?" she asked, suspiciously, resting her hands on her hips.

Jobal sighed. "He wants to talk to you, Padme. He's your father." As she went to join her ex-husband, Padme frowned, staring after her. Her mind flicked back to Clovis' letter. Was Christmas truly the season for forgiveness? If she was willing to give Clovis a chance to explain himself, surely she could give her own father that same right.

The only person more surprised by Ruwee's sudden appearance was Sola. As soon as he entered the dining room, she sat up, a look of utter surprise, and blatant anger, on her face, her entire body growing rigid. Padme suddenly felt as though she was watching a very private reunion, as Ruwee looked upon his eldest daughter and swallowed. Sola handled herself better than Padme expected, inclining her head and giving him a small smile, which he returned.

Her eyes then fell on Anakin, who was looking directly at her, watching her carefully as though she was going to break. Padme had a feeling he had been looking at her like that since she came into the room. To assuage him, she mouthed _I'm okay_ and then introduced her father to Anakin's family. Anakin stood up and nodded his head in respect, and she felt a huge rush of affection for him for being so polite. After everything her father had said about him, she adored that he was acting so maturely. From Ruwee's stiff reaction, it was clear he was uncomfortable, which only made Padme even more proud of Anakin.

Once introductions were done, she slid into her spot between her sister and her boyfriend. Sola's expression was one of confusion and resentment, which Padme understood completely. Her father had not been very active in keeping in contact with her since she had gotten married. To her left, Anakin gently rested his hand on her thigh, giving it an encouraging squeeze and bending to whisper in her ear, lips brushing against her skin.

"I didn't know your dad was coming," he muttered under his breath.

Padme met his gaze with a sidewards glance, before looking back at her plate. "That makes two of us," she replied softly, yet her hand snaked down to cover his. Beside her, she heard Sola mumble _three of us_ and stifled a laugh.

"You should talk to him," Anakin told her as his hand caressed her thigh, rubbing the pads of his fingers against her jeans. "Sort things out."

Sighing, she nodded. "I will. But can I at least enjoy my Christmas turkey without family drama?"

Chuckling, Anakin grinned at her and bent to peck her cheek. "It's not Christmas without family drama, angel."

That sparked her interest. Fixing him with a questioning stare, she asked, "and what family drama have you experienced at Christmas, Anakin?"

His grin widened as he recalled some distant memory. "Well… a few years ago Ahsoka got gastro. We spent the whole of Christmas at the hospital."

Padme grimaced. "That's _some_ family drama."

"It'll make for a good twenty-first speech," he teased, eyes lighting up with amusement as he contemplated the thought of embarrassing Ahsoka. Padme rolled her eyes and nudged him playfully in the ribs with her elbow. All of a sudden, she felt better, lighter, calmer. He tended to have that effect on her, was able to cure her anxiety and worry with bouts of humour or light-hearted remarks.

All throughout lunch, Padme watched her parents closely. It was odd. They were acting shy, and almost flirtatious and it confused her immensely. She'd never seen her mother blush so furiously before. The playful exchanges, shy laughter, tentative smiles, the way Jobal rested her hand on Ruwee's arm for the briefest of moments, it was all Padme could do not to stare at them. Surely, she was missing something. This was all just a play. They'd been divorced for… _years,_ and from what Padme knew, they hadn't exactly kept in contact. The more she thought about it, the more it troubled her. Her mother had never dated anyone since the divorce, had never even shown an _interest_ in finding another partner. Neither had her father. Was it possible that, after so many years, they still harboured feelings for each other?

While Padme came to terms with that strange, confronting realisation, Anakin spent the entirety of lunch in deep, enthusiastic conversation with his uncle. Padme listened to him speak with a affectionate smile. Truly, he was so happy, especially when he told of his achievements at college. Sheev listened raptly, praising him highly and Padme couldn't help but think that it was a good thing that he was back in Anakin's life. He already had Obi-Wan, but to have a relative, a _male_ relative at that, be so proud of him was a step in the right direction. From what she could gather, Sheev was well travelled and imparted many amusing and enlightening stories from his adventures, which acquiesced to Anakin's adventurous spirit. The expression on his face was full of complete awe and Padme watched him fondly, letting her fingers dance across his thigh the way his had, silently letting him know that she was so, _very,_ proud of him.

It was after lunch, when Anakin's family had gone home, that Padme began to dread the conversation she knew was looming with her father. It was Anakin who actually encouraged it, nudging her in the direction of the living room when he went to leave. The way he was so adamant about her reconciling with her father surprised her, particularly given that _he_ was the subject of the argument. When she raised that, he muttered, all serious, "I don't have a father. If I knew him, I'd want to smooth things over, too. I wouldn't want to fight with him."

His words hit her hard. She hadn't thought about that, before. "You're right," she conceded and he pulled her to his chest, his strong arms coming around her.

"I'm not just a pretty face, you know," he teased as he nuzzled into her hair. Padme pulled back and hit him playfully in the chest, which only made him wink and brush his lips against her cheekbone. "Do you want me to come over tonight?" he asked, all husky and she trembled at the sound of it. She wanted it, but knew that there were other, more important things that she needed to concentrate on.

Shaking her head, she sighed and bit her lip. "I think I should spend tonight with my family."

Anakin nodded. "Yeah, I should too."

She put her hands on his chest and stretched up on her toes, chasing his lips, and he bent to capture her mouth in a sweet kiss. "Tomorrow night?"

He smirked. "Wouldn't miss it."

Once he'd left, Padme swallowed and closed her eyes briefly. She didn't like confrontation. It made her feel uncomfortable. She would have to handle this diplomatically, of course, take the emotion out of it and simply lay everything out on the table. She could do that.

Her father was in the living room, admiring all the photographs her mother had set up on the wall and the mantle; of her, of Sola, of the girls. He appeared almost sad as he regarded them, hand coming up and tracing over the glass with a reverence that Padme hadn't seen before. Instead of interrupting him, she granted him this time and simply watched from the doorway. Seeing her father like this, all vulnerable and soft, was a large contrast to the usual stoic, stern man she had come to know. A nice contrast, but a contrast all the same. Perhaps it was simply because he was surrounded by his family again, or because he was reminiscing his past life, when he was married, but either way, he was a changed man.

After several minutes of silence, Padme approached him, coming up to stand beside him. He had found, hidden at the back behind Sola's graduation picture, a photo from his wedding day. His fingers reached out, tracing over the wooden frame delicately, and if Padme looked close enough, she swore his eyes were moist.

"How long are you planning on staying?"

It was unfair to pull him out of such a private moment, but she couldn't stand it any longer. He claimed he wanted to talk to her, and yet he hadn't spoken a word to her. Not since he had arrived. Padme simply wanted to hurry things along.

Ruwee turned to face her. "A few days, I suppose."

He grew silent, flicking his gaze back to the photographs, almost ignoring Padme completely. It irritated her to no end. Huffing, she crossed her arms and fixed him with a stern glare. "Well?"

A sad smile graced his face as he looked upon her. "You look just like your mother," he told her, forlorn and there was a painful tone that she could pick up, that made her stop suddenly. _No._ Regardless of how miserable and vulnerable her father was acting, she needed him to tell her what she wanted to hear. She needed to hear him say that he was sorry. That he would take back everything he'd said about Anakin.

"Why are you really here, dad?" she pressed, not relinquishing her firm stance even though her tender heart yearned to reach out to him and hug him.

It felt like a lifetime before he finally answered her and his voice was so _quiet_ that she had to step closer to him to hear it. "I wanted…" he began, tentative, awkward, shifting uncomfortable from one foot to the other, eyes not quiet meeting hers. He was uncomfortable and part of that satisfied her. Ruwee Naberrie was never one to admit to a mistake easily. "Padme I – where we left off… it wasn't right."

Wasn't _right?_ That's all he was going to say? Padme stared at him in utter disbelief. "That's it?" she cried, incredulous. She deserved an apology, a real, proper apology. "You came all this way to say it wasn't right?"

He sighed. "Padme…"

"What you said – how you reacted, it was…"

"I know."

"So you're not even going to apologise?" she demanded, nearing hysterics, tears stinging her eyes.

Frowning, he replied, "I admit, the way I acted was irrational. But I won't apologise for what I said. I stand by my opinion."

Tears of rage spilled from her eyes as she took in his words. "I can't believe this…" she muttered under her breath and made to leave. If he was too proud to admit that he was wrong, then she didn't want to be in the same room as him any longer.

He called out to her as she reached the doorway. "Padme… wait."

Slowly, she turned around, expression furious, eyes flashing darkly. "What?" she hissed.

"Let me explain myself."

Narrowing her eyes, she replied, ruefully, "you've already made yourself perfectly clear."

He shook his head, hand coming up to rest on his forehead and he released a heavy, frustrated groan. "No, I – I haven't," he insisted, suddenly flustered. "Padme, you're my baby girl. I – I just want what's best for you."

"Anakin _is_ what's best for me!" she all but sobbed, fists clenching, arms waving. Why couldn't he see what she saw? See past the prejudice and his past to the wonderful man he truly was, so attentive and good to her. The man she knew him to be. "I can't excuse his past," she admitted. "But he's changed. Anakin's not like that anymore. He's… he's grown up – he's so good to me, dad, and he makes me… he makes me feel… _alive…_ if you – dad, if you just…" she was incoherent in her hysteria, but she didn't care, because she needed him to understand, sought his approval more than anything. "If you just give him a chance, you'll _see_."

Once her rant was finished, she exhaled deeply, willing herself to calm down. Ruwee reached out and took her hand, giving her a small, reassuring smile. "Padme…"

She shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. " _I love him_." Her voice was so soft and broken, thick with emotion, yet the words fell easily off her tongue, as though she was born to say them.

"I know," he replied, nodding his head. "I know you do, sweetheart." His brows furrowed as he sighed in resignation. "Your mother and I have been talking and… well, she gave me a lot to think about."

"Like what?" she barked aggressively.

"Basically, she told me that if I wanted to lose another daughter, then I was going the right way about it. If not, then I needed to get my head out of my ass and make things right." Padme was a little shocked at her mother's harsh words, when it hit her. She was referring to her father's broken relationship with her sister. They'd virtually lost all contact once she had gotten married.

"Right," she frowned. "So?"

"So," he explained slowly. "I've thought about it and… I'm willing to overlook Anakin's past and give him a chance to prove himself."

It was music to her ears. Automatically, her entire expression lightened and she felt a huge weight lift from her chest, a weight she hadn't realised was upon her. All her tension and anxiety suddenly lifted and she let out a bubble of euphoric laughter, rushing towards her father and threw her arms around him. "Thank you, thank you," she cried into his shoulder, mad with happiness. When she pulled back, she kissed both of his cheeks, unable to keep the wild grin off her face. "You'll see. He won't let you down."

Ruwee bent and pressed a kiss between her brows. "If he really means that much to you, then I will try." It was the best answer she could hope for.

A sudden thought occurred to her and she smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Since when have you and mom been talking?" It was a question that had been bothering her since he had arrived.

Swallowing uncomfortably, her father shrugged. "On and off for the past few years."

Padme raised her eyebrow suspiciously. "Right, so it's only for my sake that mom invited you here?" He didn't respond but she swore she saw him flush and it made her grin. "I saw the way you two were acting at lunch. You were like lovesick teenagers."

His lips formed a thin line. "What exactly are you insinuating?"

"Do you still have feelings for her?"

"Padme, your mother and I have been divorced for – "

" – ten years, I know," she interrupted, impatiently. "You know, she's never dated. Never even seemed _interested_ in another man."

That sparked his interested and he brightened just a little. _Victory_ , she cheered internally at his reaction. "Really?"

"Do you still love her?" she asked bluntly, cutting straight to the chase.

He didn't respond immediately, cast his eyes to the floor, suddenly tentative, and she realised she had hit a sensitive spot, but she was far, _far_ too curious to let it slide. Regardless of what her mother said, Padme knew that she was still in love with him. And after seeing them around each other again, it only became that much clearer. Maybe it was because she was so blissfully in love, but the thought that her parents could find happiness again after so many years apart filled her with hope. She suddenly vowed it would be her mission over the break.

"I never stopped," was his answer. It was so simple, so honest and true and it made her beam uncontrollably, like an idiot, because she realised that maybe, _just maybe_ , it could work.


	15. Chapter 15

**_A/N: I told you I'd update quick, didn't I? Tension and hurt and angst and nothing is okay, because I love it. I promise, I'm not sadistic, not truly. I just love drama._**

 ** _If none of you have realised it yet, these past few chapters, and ones to follow, are based of the Clovis arc of the The Clone Wars. And yes, it's all Padme's fault. So, hate on her all you like in this chapter, if you want, because she brought it on herself._**

* * *

 _"Have you told him yet?" Padme frowned at her sister's impertinence. The way she was so blunt and straightforward reminded her remarkably of Anakin, and she both disliked it and yet admired it at the same time._

 _She replied with a question of her own, yet one she knew would have the exact same answer. "Have you spoken to dad yet?"_

 _It was Sola's turn to scowl. "Your situation is completely different to mine," she rationalised. "I haven't seen dad since the wedding. Do you think this is going to be easy?"_

 _The circumstances were completely different, Padme knew, and yet she couldn't help but retort, "You think I want to talk to Anakin about Clovis? You think this is going to be an easy conversation to have?"_

 _The frown on her sister's face deepened, the crease in her brow becoming more and more noticeable, and her eyes narrowed into slits. "At least you know that Anakin loves you." It was a heart-wrenching thing to hear. Up until that moment, Padme hadn't realised how much her sister's broken relationship with their father had affected her._

 _Reaching out, she grasped her sister's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, accompanied by an equally reassuring smile. "Dad loves you Sola. You're his daughter."_

 _She said nothing more on the matter and tugged her hand free. "If you don't tell Anakin soon, then I will."_

That morning conversation was the reason that Padme was now in the bathroom, fluffing her hair and fiddling with the tiny straps of the sheer, pale blue chemise that her sister had given her for Christmas. It was a bit over the top, she knew, but Anakin was waiting for her in her room, and she needed to butter him up a bit before she could bring up the topic of Clovis. Catch him unawares, as it were. And, though she didn't want to admit it, she wanted to look good for him. A part of her recalled reading something in a trashy magazine at the airport that one way to show a man how much you loved him was to do little things like this, and though Padme never believed in such garbage, she thought it wouldn't hurt, especially not tonight.

Giving herself a once over, she fixed her hair so it curled nicely over her shoulders, gave herself a confident smile and strode into her room. Anakin was sitting on her bed, long legs stretched out, laptop resting on his thighs. An adorable frown marred his handsome features, and his tongue was between his teeth as he stared at the screen in deep concentration. He was so focused that he didn't even look up as she entered.

"Did you change your password?" he asked abruptly, still fixated on her laptop. "I can't get in."

She chuckled softly. "Yeah, it expired or something. It's the same, except all the _e_ 's are now _3_ 's."

"Ah," his eyes lit up in recognition and he hurriedly began typing away. "Thanks." A satisfied grin soon crossed his face and he hummed, searching around on the bedside table for something. He still hadn't looked at her.

To rectify the situation, she softly called his name, a sensual sort of whisper that she only used when wrapped up in his arms, and it worked without fault. He lifted his head, and his eyes widened as he took in the sight of her. The blatant desire there would have made her self-conscious during the beginning stages of their relationship, as she never could have thought someone could look at her like that. But such looks were so common now that she almost puffed up with confidence. Yet, there was something different about the way he was regarding her. He tilted his head to the side, just a little, and his mouth fell open. Padme could practically feel the sweep of his gaze over her body, which responded as honestly as ever, so attuned to his hungry gaze.

"Wow." It was the only thing he seemed capable of saying. It pleased her that she could do this to him, render him speechless like this, as he had done to her so many times before with just a flash of those blue eyes.

Padme grinned and fingered the hem of her chemise, taking a few steps towards him. "Do you like it?" The way he was looking at her appeared to answer that question, but she wanted verbal confirmation.

Anakin swallowed, nodded and wet his lips with his tongue before replying, "I-it's... erm… very n-nice – " Padme crept forward slowly, until she was standing at the edge of her peer, beaming down at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "What's the occasion?"

She smirked and cocked her hip. "Do I need an occasion?"

Chuckling, Anakin shook his head. "Well, no. But I'd like to know what I did to deserve _this_ ," he gestured to her attire. "Y'know, so I can do it again." He winked at her and she shook her head at him, but was laughing all the same. "Is it new?"

"It's from Sola," she explained, reaching out to lightly touch his shoulder. He barely seemed aware of the contact, for his eyes were solely fixed on her body, seductively exposed to him behind thin, sheer material. They lingered on her chest, and she wondered if he could see her nipples hardening beneath, for a shudder ran up her spine that had absolutely _nothing_ to do with the cold. Anakin reached out with his hand and touched the fabric, letting the silken material slip through his fingers.

"Well," he said, finally meeting her eyes again, though she could tell it took him a lot of effort. "Remind me to give her my thanks."

Giggling, Padme sat down beside him, running her hands over his chest and up to his clavicles where his skin was exposed from the collar. She bent closer to him, their faces inches from each other and smirked. "Why don't you show _me_ your… appreciation," she purred, her thumbs rubbing over his jaw and brushing against his lips.

Anakin's eyes sparkled and his large hands rested on her hips as he closed the distance between them. Padme leaned into the kiss, her eyes fluttering closed as the softness of his mouth against hers, the way his hands slid up the delicate fabric, outlining the curves of her waist, skimming passed the swell of her breasts before tangling themselves in her hair. She shuffled closer, which was difficult as there was still her laptop resting on his knees, but somehow managed to throw her leg over his waist so she was sitting on his stomach.

She deepened the kiss, pulling him forcefully against her mouth by fistfuls of his hair, and he responded playfully, letting a hand fall down to her ass and gave it a squeeze. A little gasp of surprise escaped her at the unexpected action, causing Anakin to grin against her. It was all moving too slow. He kept his attention solely focused on her mouth. Normally, he would dip lower, suckling her neck and over her clavicles and she would know that he intended on having her, right there, at that very moment. But he didn't.

Frowning against his mouth, Padme decided she would need to instigate the whole thing if she wanted it to progress. It was an unusual experience for her. Anakin's desire for her was so strong that he could never keep his hands off her. It was always _her_ job to keep things proper, for he had no qualms about ravishing her in public, wanting the whole world to know that she was his. So, she was a little confused by his sudden chastity. Still, when Padme wanted something, she went after it, and decided to take matters into her own hands.

Releasing a soft sigh, she rolled her hips against Anakin's, letting him know _exactly_ what she wanted and ran her hands down his chest, trailing along his belly, before dipping underneath his pants. He jolted when her hand came in contact with his cock and pulled away from her, stilling her hand, staring into her eyes with a seriousness that surprised her.

"Padme…" he groaned, taking each of her wrists in his hands.

Huffing, she fixed him with a pout. "What?" It was all so confusing to her. He'd never acted like this before. Anakin released her hands and she crossed them over her chest, raising an eyebrow at him, demanding him to explain himself.

With a soft, amused smile, he traced her cheek delicately with his fingers. "Not now."

Instead of scolding him, Padme suddenly burst out with bewildered laughter, shaking her head at him. "I never thought I'd see the day…" Anakin smirked. "I'm right here, Anakin, and you…" her eyes drifted over to her table, and saw his box set opened, a disc missing, and suddenly it all made sense. "You just want to watch The Game of Thrones, don't you?"

He couldn't keep the grin off his face and ran a hand through his hair, sheepish and caught out. "It's… it's not that I don't – I'm just so _behind._ I – I _have_ to _know_ , angel." The begging tone of his voice, coupled with his affectionate name for her, pleased her for a strange, unknown reason. Perhaps because it made her feel like _she_ was in control for once, and she liked it. She liked it a lot. "Please… _please,_ " he put his hands back on her hips, thumbs rubbing circles on his hipbones just as she liked. He was good, she gave him that. "Just one – or two, and then, I promise, angel, you'll have my undivided attention for the whole night."

She bit her lip, dragging out the pause, making him wait for it as she contemplated his request. "The whole night, hmm?" she questioned, bending to brush her lips against his jaw.

"The _whole night,_ " he promised, taking her chin in his fingers so he could look in his eyes.

Shrugging, she sighed in defeat. "Fine." The grin that broke out on his face was so wild and grateful that she couldn't help but laugh at him. "I _swear_ I'm in a relationship with a child," she teased, rolling off him to sit beside him.

In response, he leaned over and kissed her quickly, a chaste, innocent kiss of she settled beside him, with his arm around her shoulders, she found she couldn't concentrate on what was happening on the screen. Her mind was preoccupied. She was frantically running through scenarios in her head of how she was going to bring up the Clovis issue. She didn't want to make Anakin upset, but Sola was right. He needed to know and _she_ needed to be the one to tell him. It wouldn't do for him to hear it from someone else.

Thankfully, Anakin was oblivious to her inner turmoil, his sole attention focused on the screen. She watched him fondly, how he could possess such a childlike innocence sometimes. Mouth parted, eyes scarcely blinking, the only way Padme would be able to drag him away would be to physically turn his head. But she was glad. It gave her time to think. To sort things out in her mind before her emotions took hold and she ruined everything. Like she had with her father.

A part of her was a ashamed of how she had reacted the day before. Now that they had reconciled, she realised how silly and dramatic she had been acting. Her father was only being protective, it was his job after all. Really, she should be thankful that he reacted the way he did. Anakin didn't even have a father. At least Ruwee cared enough about her to get overprotective.

Two hours and two episodes later, and Anakin finally closed her laptop and put it away, before turning to face her. "There, you held up your end of the bargain," he whispered, leaning in to capture her lips. "Now it's my turn." As he showered her with affection, his mouth moving against hers in a familiar, sensual sweep of lips and tongue, she sighed heavily, and broke away.

"Anakin…" she began, unsurely. "I… I need to talk to you." He cocked his head to the side and she swallowed, before bravely continuing. "I haven't been completely honest with you."

He frowned, eyes narrowing, his expression growing hard. "What do you mean?"

Padme shifted uncomfortably beside him, not knowing the right way to go about this. Her sister was right, Anakin needed to know about Clovis. So, why did she feel so guilty about telling him?

"You know, yesterday morning? When Sola and I were in the living room?" She waited for him to nod before she continued. "Well, I lied to you. We weren't talking about family stuff. I… I received a letter…" she sighed heavily, casting her eyes to her lap. "From my ex-boyfriend."

The expression on his face was one she hadn't seen before, but immediately didn't like. Just the word seemed to affect him. She instantly regretted not telling him. But she couldn't stop now.

"Ex-boyfriend?" he growled through clenched teeth. "You've never told me about an ex-boyfriend before." This wasn't looking promising.

"His name was Rush Clovis," Padme told him, trying not to stutter over his name. Even just saying it aloud made her tense up. Though she was well and truly over him, the knowledge of what he had done to her, to her innocence, still troubled her. "We were together for two years, met in freshman year. He was studying law."

The comment only served to make Anakin more annoyed and he growled, low in his throat. "I suppose he was the kind of man your father approved of then, right?" The disdain was so clear it made her flinch.

"Ani…"

"Well? He was, wasn't he?" he snapped, clenching his fists and there was a deep anger resonating within him that worried her a little. He shouldn't be doing this. He didn't need to compare himself to Clovis when he was already leagues above him, in so many ways.

"Don't do this, Anakin," she said, miserably, reaching out her hand to unclench his fist and twine her fingers with him. "You _know_ I don't care about things like that."

He didn't seem to hear her. "I'm such a _fucking idiot,_ " he cursed. "No matter what I do, your dad's never going to like me. I can't fill the shoes of a fucking Harvard law student. Who am I kidding?" He laughed, a cruel laugh, and it only deepened her worry for him.

"You don't have to fill anyone's shoes," she tried to reassure him, but he brushed her off. When he trained his eyes on her, they were more intense than she'd ever seen.

"I'm _trying_ , Padme," he implored, strained. "I'm really _fucking_ trying. I – I cut my hair… I'm not using my motorbike anymore – fuck, I even got Aayla to take me _shopping_ , so that I can look the part. For you. For _him._ "

His words broke her heart. He didn't need to do that. The last thing she wanted was for him to change himself, just to please her father. It wasn't fair. "Oh, _Anakin_ ," she all but sobbed, clutching the sides of his face to force him to look at her. "You didn't have to do that."

"But I did, didn't I?" he hissed. "It doesn't even matter, because no matter what I do, I can never be _that._ I can never be what he wants me to be."

Padme couldn't listen to another word of his self-pity. It was too much. With a soft cry, she kissed him violently, tugging roughly on his hair, wrapping it around her fingers as she pressed herself as close as possible to him. "You listen to me, Anakin Skywalker," she told him fiercely when they parted. "Don't you go comparing yourself to Clovis. Don't _ever._ Because you're so much more than he will ever be, Anakin. In so many ways. He…" she paused, took a breath, then continued. "He _cheated on me_ , Ani."

A million different emotions swam in his eyes and yet, Padme could pinpoint every single one. Anger. Disgust. Jealousy. Despair. And yet, there was something else, almost a certain joy that Rush Clovis was not the perfect man he had conjured up in his head. That he had done something so despicable in Anakin's eyes, so disrespectful, and she saw him visibly swell with self-pride. He cupped her cheek, drawing his thumb lazily over her lips, regarding her through soft eyelashes.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. They were not the words that she had expected to hear leave him mouth, yet Padme was truly touched by his words. It was as though he knew how painful the experience had been for her.

Shaking her head, she gave him a small smile in return. "You have nothing to be sorry for," she told him.

"I don't like the idea of someone hurting you," he told her in a rough whisper, drawing her closer with his hand. His eyes were narrowed into slits. "I want to wring his neck. _No one_ is allowed to hurt you. I'll never let _anyone_ hurt you again, angel. I swear it."

His intensity shocked her. Laughing softly, to lighten the mood, she muttered, "Please don't. He's not worth it."

Anakin's tight, possessive grip on her hips told her that he didn't agree with her, and she was silently grateful that the two of them would never meet, because she had no doubt that Anakin could and _would_ wring his neck.

"What did it say? The letter?"

"He…" Padme faltered. This was the part she had been dreading all along. How was she supposed to make this sound good to Anakin's ears when he was already acting so… _protective?_ "He wants to catch up… and… _talk._ "

Anakin scoffed. "Yeah, well that's not going to happen," he said firmly, a look of resolution on his face.

The finality of it all alarmed her. "Excuse me?"

"You're not going anywhere _near_ that guy. I won't let you."

" _Let me?_ " she cried in exasperation, not believing what she was hearing. Who was he to talk to her like that? "You don't decide what I do or who I see, Anakin. That's _my_ choice. Not yours."

He remained firm. "I'm your boyfriend, Padme. As your boyfriend, I'm asking you not to see him. I demand it."

For the first time since they'd been together, she thought she might actually slap him. He couldn't talk to her like that. She wasn't his property. It made her blood boil. If Padme hated anything, it was being told what to do.

"You don't own me, Anakin," she hissed. "You don't have any right to tell me what to do."

He locked his jaw stubbornly. "You think I'm just going to let you go crawling back to this… _Clovis_ … when he obviously wants to get back together with you?

"Don't be ridiculous," she scoffed. "Why would he want to get back together with me? He didn't even want to be with me when we _were_ together!"

Anakin huffed. "A guy only contacts his ex after so long when he wants to get back together with them," he insisted.

Padme rolled her eyes, ruefully. "Right, so suddenly you're a relationship expert, are you?"

"No," he scowled. "I'm just not an idiot. And you're not going to see him."

She glared at him, suddenly furious. "I don't believe this. Even if Clovis does want to get back together, have you ever stopped to think that _I_ don't want to get back together with _him?_ I mean, can't you trust me?"

"T-trust?" Anakin blinked at her, throwing his arms up in the air, aggressively. The way he was staring at her, as though she was talking crazy, made her a little worried. "This has nothing to do with trust, Padme. This is me asking you to do something, and you flat out refusing!"

"This has _everything_ to do with trust, Anakin," she insisted, reaching for his hands, trying to get him to calm down and talk to her rationally, without his emotions getting in the way. "If you can't trust me enough to see my ex-boyfriend, _just to talk_ , then we have some serious problems."

He snatched his hands from hers, his expression venomous, but the hurt and betrayal was obvious there, swimming in his eyes. "Yeah, we do have a problem," he grumbled harshly. "The problem is _you_ wanting to see him in the first place."

Padme groaned and put her head in her hands. Why was he so quick to think she would go running back to Clovis? Didn't he realised how much he meant to her? How much she loved him? "Yes, Ani. _To talk._ I never got an apology. I never knew _why._ Is that so difficult for you to understand?"

He leapt up from next to her, throwing his hands about wildly as he struggled to express himself. His mouth opened and closed a few times as he struggled within himself. Padme could almost hear his inner torment. "You… how can you – " he stammered, trying to keep his voice under control. It trembled with every word. "After what he did to you? Padme, he doesn't deserve _shit._ Why are you being like this? Aren't I enough?"

His words took her by surprise. There he was, all unsure and insecure before her and she felt incredibly guilty, because _she_ was the one who had made him like this. "What are you talking about?" she cried, incredulous. "Ani, I _love_ you. You know I love you."

"Then why are – how can you just - ? I'm asking you… _begging you_ and you can't even…" he broke off and rested his forehead in his hands for a moment and sighed, a heavy slump of his shoulders. "I can't… I can't do this." And then, to her horror, he turned on his heel and made to leave, and suddenly, Padme was crawling forward towards him, reaching out to him.

"Wait… Ani, where are you going?" she called to him, feeling herself become overwhelmed with emotion.

He didn't turn around, just stopped in the doorway. "Home." Defeat rang in his words. "I just need to be alone right now."

"Anakin, you're overreacting. Please, come back to bed," she told him, begged him, because she couldn't end it like this, watch him leave like this. It wasn't right. She needed to make it right.

That seemed to get his attention. He whirled around, anger and hurt blazing in his bright, blue eyes, singeing her soul. " _Overreacting?_ Padme, I…" he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I love you. I love you more than my own life _._ I'd give you the world, if you asked it of me. But you…" when he opened them again, she whimpered at the agony swimming there, the agony _she_ had caused. "You can't even do this one thing… for _me._ " And then he was gone.


	16. Chapter 16

**_A/N: This turned out differently to what I had in mind. I had this chapter planned out to the T, but then that angst-loving part of me decided to take control and then this was born. I like it, but I don't know if you will. Honestly, I think it's the only practical 'resolution'... but writing this made me feel incredibly sad._**

 _ **Anyway, I hope you enjoy it xx**_

* * *

 _What have you done?_ That same accusation rang in her ears over and over as Padme sat on her bed, cross-legged, with Clovis' letter in her hand. Tear drops stained the card, from the excessive sobbing she had only just recovered from since Anakin had left. She couldn't believe what had happened. When she'd first thought about raising the subject of Clovis, she had _not_ expected it to end like this; Anakin growing obnoxious and jealous and insecure, then storming out of her house. In truth, Padme didn't know how she expected him to take the news. She could understand his reaction, to a certain point. Her Ani, though full of bravado and arrogance and self-assurance, was also the victim of crippling insecurities, _especially_ when it came to her. It didn't help that he was _desperately_ trying to vie for her father's approval. Though that, in itself, was not Padme's fault, it did naught to help the situation. In hindsight, she should have seen this coming.

 _Should. Would. Could._

It made no matter now. He was angry and hurt and it was all her fault. It reminded her of the way _she_ had acted out in jealousy when she had first met Aayla Securra. _That_ , she knew, was silly and irrational. Anakin's reaction was completely justified… to a certain extent. He shouldn't have spoken to her like that; he had no right to demand things of her, and then insist that he was merely just _asking._ She was just being honest with him. Hadn't Sola said it was better for him to hear it from her instead of someone else? If so, then why was everything in such a mess?

As Padme sat on her bed, she realised she needed to fix the entire situation, and fast, because she couldn't relax knowing that Anakin was angry with her. It made her sick with grief. Especially when _she_ was the cause. Her fingers trembled as she held the card. What was the point of all this? Was finding out _why_ Clovis had treated her so badly worth risking her relationship with Anakin? _Of course not,_ an insistent voice told her immediately. Anakin meant everything to her. She could sacrifice her own selfish needs in order to make him happy, couldn't she?

 _He should have more trust in you,_ another, more cynical voice informed her. As much as she didn't want to dwell on it, the fact that Anakin had thought she'd actually leave him made her sad. The thought of leaving him was inconceivable to Padme, as impossible as the thought of being without air. He _had_ to know that. A part of her was insulted that he'd even thought to doubt her. But, the guilt was eating her up inside, consuming her every thought. She had to do something.

And so, biting down hard on her lip, she tore the card in half, and then the halves into halves, and again and again until her bedspread was dusted with little squares of confetti. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, she felt a sense of calm wash over her, and knew she had done the right thing. She wouldn't let Clovis force his way back into her life. She wouldn't contact him. She'd forget it ever happened.

Sweeping the remains into her hand, Padme hurried over to the bin under her desk and tipped them in, removing all evidence of Clovis from her room and from her mind. She looked out her window to Anakin's house, wishing she could see him, tell him she was sorry, beg his forgiveness. Vaguely, she wondered if he was sleeping, or if he was just as troubled as she was. Some part of her hoped he couldn't sleep, that he was tossing and turning, or lying awake and staring at the roof, because she deserved that, didn't she? If she was tormented by the fight they'd just had, it was only fair that Anakin was as well.

Realising the ridiculousness of the situation, Padme decided that the only practical, yet slightly irrational decision, was to go over to his house and make things right. Even if he had told her he needed to be alone. Because she needed Anakin, she needed to know that he still loved her, and there was no way she could sleep without some sort of resolution. So, with a determined set of her jaw, she crept downstairs, making sure not to wake her nieces, and hurried out into the freezing night. As she sprinted next door, she silently cursed herself that she'd forgotten a coat. Her toes grew numb from the ice-cold ground and shivers ran tremors up her body.

Rubbing her hands up and down her arms to soothe the outbreak of goose-pimples on her flesh, she did the only thing she could think of, and pick up a lump of snow and aimed it at Anakin's window. It hit the glass with a dull thud. Nothing happened. Not giving up, she did it again. Still nothing. _Come on, Ani,_ she pleaded, wanting nothing more than to get out of the cold. After the third attempt, the window opened and Anakin peeked his head out, rubbing his eyes. "P-Padme?" he mumbled groggily. So, he'd been asleep. That only served to make her angry.

"How d-dare you, Anakin Skywalker!" she shouted up at him, her teeth chattering and her body shaking, both from rage and the cold. "How d-dare you s-sleep after what j-just happened! I've b-been crying for t-two solid hours and you're up there, s-sound _asleep!_ "

Anakin groaned. "What are you doing out here?" he asked her, incredulous. "You're going to get a cold! It's freezing."

Padme shook her head even though she couldn't feel her toes. "I d-don't c-care," she stammered, stubbornly and pointed her finger at him. "You s-should be r-restless and… and – "

"Stop shouting at me, will you?" he frowned. "I'm coming down."

She scowled at him, but snapped her mouth shut and waited for him. A few moments later, he opened the door, and pulled her inside roughly by her wrist. She was too busy trying to keep her teeth from clashing together to notice that he had wrapped a thick, heavy coat around her shoulders and was rubbing his hands along her arms, the friction warming her up. He didn't look at her, and concentrated solely on the task of keeping her warm. There was a frown on his face, was it frustration? She didn't know. But she didn't like it.

After a few minutes, she stopped shivering, and Anakin sighed, taking his hands off her. "Better?"

Biting her lip, she nodded reluctantly. "Thank you," she said in a small voice, trying to catch his eye which he was avoiding.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, all the softness gone from his voice. "It's the middle of the night."

"I…" she began, before her body was wracked by another violent shiver, no – _sob_ – and she inhaled deeply before regaining composure. "We can't end it like this, Anakin," she said. "Nothing's resolved. We… we have to _talk_ about this _._ "

He locked his jaw stubbornly. "I don't want to talk about _him,_ " he spat. So, he was going to act like a child then, was he? She decided to strengthen her body language. _Two_ could play at this game and Padme was just as inherently stubborn as Anakin. Standing taller, crossing her arms, she glared at him with a stony expression in her dark eyes.

"I'm not talking about Clovis, Anakin!" she snapped. "We need to talk about _us_!"

He rolled his eyes and the gesture was so obnoxious that Padme wanted to hit him. "So. Talk."

There was a challenging edge to his words that made her cry out in frustration. "Are you being serious, right now?" she demanded, simmering with rage. Why was he being like this?

"I've said all I had to say," he replied, narrowing his eyes, which had turned a cold, icy blue, an unsettling contrast to his usual, warm gaze. A surge of guilt rose within her. _She'd_ done that, she'd caused that expression. Anakin had put up his walls again, was hiding behind his arrogance, and it was _her_ job to break them down.

"Don't be like this, Anakin," she told him. "You're acting like… like a – " he raised his eyebrow, egging her on, and she couldn't hold in her anger any longer.

"Go on. Say it."

"Like a petulant _child!_ "

Anakin's mouth formed a thin line. "There it is. As long as we're being honest with each other, right?" He laughed, and it was a harsh, cruel sound that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand at attention.

Padme shrunk under his cold gaze. "Stop it, Anakin," she pleaded in a small voice. "Stop this. This isn't you." Her Ani would never talk to her like that. Whoever this was, it wasn't him. It was his pride speaking, shutting her out. She needed to reassure him, and not with her words. Words were ineffective with Anakin. He needed to _feel_ her. Swallowing her own anger, just for the moment, she reached out, taking his hands in hers and rubbing them gently up his forearms, soothing him with her gentle touch. His body softened a little, and she felt a little pang of victory. "Ani…" she softly called his name, forcing him to look at her, and she almost crumbled when he did.

Biting her lip at the tortured expression in his eyes, she pulled him into her, wrapping her arms around him tightly and he buried his face in her shoulder. Anakin was shaking against her, and Padme realised that he was crying. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she heard him mumble against her skin, and she hushed him, stroking his hair as his tears fell wetly against her shoulder. His hands tightened around her waist, crushing her almost painfully as though he thought she was going to disappear, but she ignored the pain. He needed this. He needed _her_.

When Anakin pulled away, still keeping a tight grip on her hips, he hung his head and refused to look at her. With a pang of sorrow, Padme cupped his jaw, caressing the skin gently with the pads of her fingers. Sighing heavily, he leaned into her touch, bending to press his forehead against hers and then, very slowly, he opened his eyes, gazing right into her soul. "I'm sorry," he told her again, his voice quivering with emotion and yet his eyes were steadfast. Dipping his head, he nuzzled her nose, ghosting his lips over hers, silently asking her to kiss him, but she was far, _far,_ too worked up to give into him.

Removing her hand, Padme stepped back and ran a hand through her undone hair. "Anakin… we can't keep doing this." She knew the words were not what he wanted to hear, and yet she had to say them. She'd been blinded by love for too long to see the cracks that had slowly been getting deeper and deeper in their relationship. Only now, was she becoming aware of Anakin's biggest flaw, the great demon that resided in him. His insecurities. She should have seen it before. Underneath all his bravado and arrogance, he was terribly insecure, and she'd overlooked it, even _encouraged it_ , unintentionally of course, but she still felt guilty.

Anakin swallowed, his eyebrows furrowing. "W-what do you mean?" he asked quietly.

Padme groaned and shut her eyes. She didn't want to talk about this, not when he was still so visibly hurt from their fight, but if she didn't say anything now, there would never be a right time. "We can't keep going on like this," she explained. "We need to learn to _trust_ each other. Every time we're together, we're always fighting about _something_ …" It was only once she'd said the words that she realised how true they were, the evidence staring her right in the face. She'd gotten jealous about Aayla and they'd fought. He'd felt insecure about not being good enough for her, and they'd fought. And now this.

Anakin frowned. "We always make up though, we get through it. That's… that's what matters, right?"

If only it was that simple. "You can't just buy me flowers and think everything will go back to normal. You need to trust me. A relationship isn't a relationship without _trust,_ Anakin _._ "

"I do trust you," he responded immediately, placing his hands on her shoulders. "It's _him_ I don't trust."

Padme sighed. "I threw it out."

He frowned. "What?"

"The letter, Anakin… I threw it out. I won't see him, Ani. I'll never even mention his name again."

"Good." He visibly brightened, nodded his head, gave her a small smile. "Good."

Padme didn't reciprocate his joy. There was still so much they needed to talk about, to resolve. "You shouldn't have spoken to me like that," she told him, sadly. "I'm sorry if I made you feel threatened, Anakin, but you… you need to let me make my own decisions. You can't just _demand_ me to do something because you don't like it."

He looked down at the ground and rubbed the back of his neck. "I know," he admitted sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Padme. Really, I am. I don't know what came over me… I just sort of… _snapped._ "

"I love you, Anakin," she told him earnestly. Her eyes stung as they grew moist. "But I don't know what else I can do to make you believe me. You're determined to think that I'm going to leave you. And not just now... but… other times, too. I just – I don't know what more I can do to make you trust me."

"Padme…"

She reached out and gripped his forearms. "You _have_ to believe me, Ani. I didn't have any ulterior motive for seeing Clovis. I truly just wanted to hear him out."

Anakin smiled softly, tracing her cheek with his thumb. "You always want to see the good in people… even when they don't deserve it."

Padme blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill over. She caught the double meaning in his words. He wasn't talking about Clovis now. He was referring to himself. That couldn't _still_ be bothering him, could it? "Everyone deserves a second chance, Ani," she said kindly, catching his lingering fingers and giving them a reassuring squeeze.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the right thing to say. His expression hardened again and he grew terse. "Even… _him?_ "

She exhaled heavily in frustration. "For god's sake Anakin, _stop._ I just told you that I won't contact him, why are you being like this?" He paused, bit his lip, swallowed thickly and then muttered something under his breath that she couldn't quite hear. "What?"

Suddenly, he gripped her shoulders roughly, staring straight into her eyes. "I can't lose you, Padme!" he blurted out desperately and the fear in his eyes was so clear, she wondered how she'd never noticed it before. "I… I _can't_. You're the most important thing in my life and I – I can't lose you. _I won't._ "

Padme blinked at him. "Lose me?" He was so unsure, so broken standing before her, tremors of fear surging through him. "Anakin, look at me," she gripped the sides of his face. "You're not going to lose me, Ani," she told him, firmly, trying to erase his fear, his insecurities. "I'm not going anywhere, remember? I'm yours. Only _yours._ "

His shoulders slumped and he rested his head against hers, inhaling deeply, letting her words wash over him. She didn't say anymore, let him absorb her and come to terms with it himself. This was her Ani, the beautifully dysfunctional and insecure owner of her heart, the man who needed constant reminding that she was his and his alone. Padme needed to show him. Nothing was okay, but she couldn't dwell on that now. She needed to remedy the situation. So, she tipped her head just a little and kissed his mouth. Her lips moved slowly, timidly against his own and she kept his face in her hands. He didn't respond immediately, but she didn't give up, instead, slowly coaxed him into returning her kiss.

"Padme…" he whispered in reverence and that sound, which normally would have made her smile, only served to break her heart.

"Make love to me, Ani," she asked him softly when they pulled away. He looked away and his hesitation informed her that he knew it was _not_ what they should be doing, when there was so much left unsaid, left unresolved. But it was what they both needed. _"Please_ ," she begged. "I need you."

He nodded and scooped her up in his arms, as though she was as weightless as a feather, carried her upstairs to his room as he had done the first time they'd slept together. Only this time, it lacked the nervous energy that had consumed them, and was replaced by this raw, unspoken need to rewrite wrongs in the only way they knew how. Padme slung her arms around him and nuzzled into the junction between his shoulder and neck, pressing soothing, gentle kisses to his skin, tracing her nose along the length of his throat. When he reached his bedroom, he gently lowered her to the bed and crawled on top of her, cradling her face in his hands and kissed her. Only soft sighs and the slick sounds of lips and tongues moving together filled the room.

Anakin's knees trapped her body as they pressed down either side of her. She let her hands roam, trailing down his back and tugging at the hem of his shirt, pulling it up with a sort of slow deliberation that was unfamiliar to both of them. The slow pace of their lovemaking was indicative of their feelings; it was not an act of passion, but a necessity, and the longer it lasted, the longer than could lose themselves without addressing what was truly happening. Anakin leant back on his knees to help her rid of his shirt, tossing it aside, before sliding his hands along her sides, up underneath the fabric of her chemise. Despite all that had been said before, there was still that blatant desire in his eyes as he gazed upon her. No matter what happened between them, Padme knew that Anakin would always look at her like that. As though she was the only thing that truly mattered in the world.

Once again, he bent to cover her mouth with his, slowly pulling her chemise up, exposing her stomach. There was a burning urgency under every soft touch, a desperate possessiveness as he smoothed his hands over her skin. He mapped every curve, climbing higher and higher until he reached her breasts. Padme arched into him, telling him what she wanted without speaking, and released a soft little mewl as he cupped her in his palm and ran his thumb fleetingly across her nipple. It was not long before they were both bare and ready, and Anakin was nestled in between Padme's spread legs, his hands balling into fists beside her head as he entered her.

Padme cradled his face in her hands, never taking her eyes off him or letting his gaze wander as he thrust in and out of her at a slow, soothing pace. They were completely silent, neither of them said a single word or uttered a moan louder than a whisper. It was an unusual occurance, for Anakin normally couldn't help but talk to her as he fucked her, constantly praising her and telling her he loved her. Padme enjoyed those little half-conversations they had mid-fuck, the non-words and harsh cries that the passion of their love brought forward. But this was not the time for such things. It was about healing. Forgiveness. Words had already been spoken, _too many words_. Now, they just needed to speak with their bodies.

Wet drips fell on her cheeks and she realised that Anakin was crying. It was a silent sort of cry, and she wouldn't have even noticed, save for the glistening wet tracks that lined his face. She studied his face, saw his bottom lip quiver and then brought him down to her mouth, kissing away his tears. His breath was ragged and came in short, breathy gasps and he suddenly kneed up on the bed and slid his hands underneath her hips, lifting her up with each thrust, hitting her sensitive spot each time that Padme couldn't help but cry out. Her hands clutched at his firm backside, forcing him deeper, harder inside her. Anakin responded by burrowing his face into her neck, grunting softly against her skin as he increased the pace.

"Look at me," she whispered, taking his face back in her hands and running her fingers through his hair. The beginnings of her release began coiling in her belly. Anakin did as she asked, resting his head against hers, his blue eyes piercing her soul and she trembled at the sight of it. Sometimes, she forgot how powerful his gaze was, how it could affect her so easily. "I'm yours, Anakin," she told him. "I belong to you."

For some reason, it was those words that had him twitching inside her, jaw clenched tight, spilling his seed violently and she squeezed his sensitive cock in response, milking his release. As he came undone, he seized her mouth, claiming her and muttered, "always," against her lips and it was her undoing. She came and it was the most blissful, toe-curling orgasm of her life. Anakin's arms came around her as she rode out her release, and pulled her up so she was sitting on his lap. She was all but sobbing into his bare, heaving chest, clinging to his broad shoulders as though he was her life force.

He stroked her hair, all sweet and lovely. "It's okay," he reassured her, kissing her temple. "We're okay."

Padme nodded against him and pressed her lips against his skin, over his fluttering heartbeat. He was wrong. They weren't okay. But they would be.


	17. Chapter 17

**_A/N: Hello... it's me._**

 ** _No, I haven't deserted this story. I just haven't found the time to write. I'm letting you know now that Uni is starting back soon, and I've just started by second job, so I probably won't be updating as quickly as I used to just because I'll be pressed for time to actually_ write.**

 ** _Also, to my fellow Aussies - HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY (for yesterday). I was hoping to get this up yesterday but I was otherwise preoccupied in celebrating a more 'traditional' Australian way (booze), so you know, patriotism and all that._**

 ** _Interesting question to pose to all of you... how do you come up with dialogue? Personally, I actually re-enact scenarios between characters (yes, talking out loud), trying to figure out what people would actually say and how that would come across in different situations. So, yes, if you see me talking to myself and having heated conversations with invisible people, I'm doing it all for the good of the written word!_**

 ** _Wow I'm in a weird mood tonight. Oh well, I hope you enjoy this chapter xx_**

* * *

Those striking blue eyes were staring at her when she woke the next morning, on her back. She could feel his gaze before she saw it, but it was clear as soon as she turned her head. Anakin was propped up on his side, gazing at her with an expression that was somewhere between awed and sad. The smallest of smiles crossed his lips and he ran the back of his knuckles down her arm in a soft, soothing way.

"How long have you been up?" Padme asked as she lay on her back.

Anakin shrugged. "Couple hours."

Nodding, Padme rolled onto her side and reached for his hand. "Couldn't sleep?"

He shook his head and gave her hand a squeeze, before letting go of her grip and brushing his fingers against her cheek. "You're so beautiful when you're sleeping," he said in a small whisper. His fingers found her hair, combing through the tangles, and Padme closed her eyes for just a moment, let herself be caught up in the simplicity of it all before the cold reality hit her like a brick. "I wish it could always be like this," Anakin mused, more to himself than to her but she listened anyway. "Just you and me. No drama. No distance. Just _us._ "

She didn't respond, save for a melancholy smile and sighed into his touch. It was cruel, really, that it had come to this between them, when they loved each other so. Perhaps, love wasn't enough. The passion that sizzled between them, that burning chemistry which was so addictive, it has sustained them for six months, but now the kindling was running low, and a log needed to be put on the fire. A slower burn. A longer flame. Something had to change.

"I've gone and fucked it all up, haven't I?" he remarked, miserably.

"Don't, Anakin," she sighed. "I'm just as much to blame. It takes two to _fuck it all up._ "

Then he did the most unexpected thing. He started to laugh. At first it was a quiet sort of laughter, a chuckle, even, barely a rise of his chest. Then it progressed to something larger, a full bodied laugh and suddenly his head was thrown back and his eyes were squeezed shut and he was laughing so manically that Padme grew a little worried for his sanity. "What is _wrong_ with us?" he cried in partial hysteria.

Padme bit her lip. It was a question she had asked herself all night. Why was this happening? Why was there so much tension in their relationship when it was clear they were both so in love? It made no sense. "Do you…" she began, timidly, blinking at him under heavy eyelashes. "Do you think it's possible to love someone _too_ much?" He tilted his head to the side, an adorable frown of confusion on his face. "That it – that it destroys everything?"

Anakin smiled fondly. "You're far too pragmatic to believe _that_ ," he quipped. "Since when are you so melodramatic?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "I guess I've been spending too much time with you," she returned with a smirk. _This_ was what she liked, what she was used to. The smart remarks and light-hearted banter that they shared together. It was so much easier to handle. The coldness between them had been something she wasn't accustomed to.

At her remark, Anakin cupped her cheek and ran his thumb across her lips, so delicately that it warmed her from the inside. The way he was staring at her reminded her of their first kiss. He was so shy and timid and unsure, but there had been this determined look in his eye. It was there now. Padme envied him, sometimes. Anakin was so sure of his emotions, lived and breathed everything so fully, even when he shouldn't, and yet still managed to take her breath away. Padme, on the other hand, was a constant wave of uncertainty.

"Some people are worth destroying everything for," he whispered. Padme almost began to cry when she heard him say those words. It was such an _Anakin_ thing to say, dramatic to the point of ridiculous, and yet she was thoroughly touched by his belief that everything was going to be fine. That they would be okay. It was the kind of hope Padme needed.

"I don't want to destroy everything, Anakin."

"It won't," he assured her firmly. "We'll… we'll be fine."

Padme shook her head vigorously. " _Stop_ saying that, Anakin. _Nothing_ will be fine unless something changes. Ignoring our problems won't make them disappear."

He grew silent and rolled onto his back, nose pointed to the ceiling. The air between them grew thick and uncomfortable, and for the first time since they'd been together, Padme suddenly wanted to be alone. It was too much. This was what she'd been concerned about. They were electric, and the chemistry between them was enough to ignite a blaze, but she knew it wasn't enough. The distance was their biggest killer. It had turned the both of them possessive and jealous. A relationship couldn't survive under that kind of pressure. And as much as it pained her to admit it, it was true.

Anakin reached for her hand and brought it up to his mouth, smoothing his lips over her skin delicately. "I'm sorry," he muttered as he kissed each of her fingertips. Turning his head, his eyes scanned her face. "I acted like an asshole. I don't know what's wrong with me, sometimes. I just – I don't want to be that guy – the guy that gets all possessive and aggressive and overprotective. I _hate_ that guy." He paused his monologue to kiss her hand again, before continuing. "I love you so much, Padme. You have no idea. And I just want you to be happy. If – if you want to see… _him_ … again, then – then I trust you." The way he spoke, almost strained, made it clear that it had taken Anakin a lot of strength to say that, to release his jealousy, and she appreciated it more than she could say.

She smiled sadly at him, her eyes growing moist with affection. "No, _I'm_ sorry, Ani," she told him earnestly. "I was being selfish. I didn't think about how you would feel. I mean, after the way I've acted in the past, it wasn't fair of me to do that to you." Saying the words was a great relief. They needed to do this, to admit that they had both been at fault and accept the other's apology. To begin the healing process.

But it was only the start. They had so much to do, so far to go, _still_ , if they were ever going to get past this hurdle. "We need to learn to _trust_ each other," Padme began with a heavy sigh. "We have an issue with trust, and we need to fix it, because we have a long distance relationship. Trust is _everything._ " Anakin nodded in agreement. "All this… all this _jealousy_ , on both of our parts, it's not healthy."

He frowned. "But we love each other. Isn't that all that matters?" His innocence, his naivety, was endearing to her.

"Love isn't enough sometimes, Anakin." She wished it could be as simple as Anakin had said; just them and their love. But that wasn't life. It was unrealistic. If their relationship was going to last, it needed to be founded on something far more concrete than just love alone. "I said from the start that this could be a mistake. That the distance would tear us apart. And look what's happening to us?" She gestured to the air between them, unable to keep the emotion out of her voice.

Anakin's eyes widened and he swallowed thickly, suddenly stricken. "Well, yeah the distance is hard, but, it's not forever, right? I mean, you'll graduate soon and then – then we'll be together all the time and it'll be like we want."

Padme bit her lip. "Will it, Anakin? Do you truly believe that?"

He gripped her hand fiercely. "This is just a rough patch, okay," he growled, eyes flashing. "I promise, I'll never act out like that again. I _swear to you_ , Padme. We'll get through it – we _have to_ , because… because I can't lose you. I'll do anything – _ask me_ and I'll do anything but don't – _don't_ say things like that. I… I can't – "

She cut him off with a finger to his lips. "Ani," she said with a soft expression. "I'm never giving up on you. I've told you that before." She let her fingers dance across his cheek, in an attempt to soothe his anguish. "I'm not going anywhere."

Normally her touch could calm him, even just a gentle brush of her fingers, but Anakin only frowned, jaw locked, eyebrows furrowed, eyes narrowed. "But…?" he spat out through clenched teeth.

Closing her eyes, Padme sighed and drew her hand away from his face. "Nothing is going to change. Anakin. Not unless we physically change it." When she opened her eyes again, she met his. They blinked at her with raw uncertainty. "We should be able to talk to each other. We should be able to trust each other. This is my last semester of Harvard. I'm going to be so busy. We won't be able to see each other as often as we used to – maybe once a month if we're lucky – and I need to know that you'll… you'll be okay. That _we'll_ be okay."

He smiled, then, and his lip twitched into a slight smirk and Padme felt her heart soar at the sight of it. "What's six months?" he grinned. "When we have forever?"

It was things like this, his absolute certainty that they could make it through anything that made her love Anakin the most. He was so sure, believed in them so much, how could she _possibly_ doubt him? When he was looking at her like that, a goofy, lovesick smile on his face and the skin around his gorgeous eyes crinkling adorably. She returned his grin with as much enthusiasm as she could muster and cupped his face with both hands.

"We'll get through this, Ani," she told him. "We'll fight for this together and we'll come out on top together. Because… believe it or not, I – " she broke off to swallow the emotion in her voice. "I can't lose you either."

And then Anakin seized her in his arms and kissed her fiercely, rolling them both so that she was stretched out on top of him. His hands slid up and down her sides as he lazily moved his mouth with hers. Padme hummed happily and rested her cheek on his chest, listening to the steady thud of his heart as his arms came around her. She could have been content to stay in that position for the rest of the day.

Just as she was getting comfortable, she felt a terrible, ripping pain slice through her abdomen. It made her cry out and clench her eyes shut and she hurriedly rolled off of Anakin, curling herself into a ball. Her hands immediately went to her stomach, clutching her sides as another stab of pain coursed through her. Anakin called her name, his arms coming around her, asking her if she was alright, but she could barely hear him. All she could concentrate on was the horrendous pain in her stomach. With a groan, she hit his arms away, more brutally than she had intended, and sat up, still clutching her stomach.

"Angel…" Anakin's voice was soft and timid, full of concern.

With a shake of her head, Padme stood up off the bed, slightly hunched over, and headed out to the bathroom. It was there, while she was on the toilet, she found the source of her sudden cramps. She had her period. Tears of frustration and pain welled in the corners of her eyes as she stared down at her destroyed panties, the new ones that Sola had gotten for her for Christmas. She hadn't expected it to come now. With the pregnancy scare, she'd forgotten that she was due. If she'd known, she would have come prepared. Now, she as at Anakin's house, in his bathroom, and there was nothing he could do for her.

A sharp rap on the door brought her out of her thoughts. "Angel, what's wrong?" Anakin's worried voice floated underneath the door.

Padme groaned. "N-nothing, Ani. I'm fine. Really." It sounded pathetic even to her ears, but she had to try. She couldn't face him right now. It would be utterly humiliating. A part of her insisted that he wouldn't care, that this was Anakin and he would understand, but Padme knew from experience that _this_ was not something men were comfortable with, and the last thing she wanted was to make Anakin uncomfortable.

"You don't sound fine," Anakin persisted. "Are you sick?"

She was about to retort when she was seized by another horrific cramp and let out a low, pained moan.

"You're scaring me, angel," he cried, frantically. "If you don't tell me what's wrong I'm coming in there."

"No!" she assured him quickly. "Don't come in Anakin. I'm – " she sighed and let out another groan. "I've just got my period, that's all."

It was silent for a few moments and Padme could almost hear a pin drop. "Oh." She waited for the exclamation of disgust, but it never came. Instead, he muttered. "Is there anything I can do for you, angel?" Padme was so surprised by his response that she didn't answer for a while, and was only brought back to life when he called out to her again, clearly worried.

"No, Ani," she told him, as sweetly as she could because he was being very thoughtful and sweet and she wanted him to know how much she appreciated it. "Not unless you have tampons in your bathroom, which you don't. I checked."

He clicked his tongue. "Wait right here. Don't move. I'll be back, alright?"

She did as he asked, trying not to focus on the fact that she had ruined her gift from Sola. She felt awful. The first time she'd worn it, and this had happened. It was such bad luck. Everything about last night had gone badly. Part of her wished she could wind back the clock and do it over, broach the subject in a different way. Padme believed that she was a logical and put together individual, but when it came to Anakin, her emotions tended to get the better of her and cloud her judgement. Her hormones also played a role in that, it seemed. All she wanted was to be with him, and sometimes, even her own goals and aspirations were set aside. It wasn't healthy, was it? To be totally absorbed and consumed by one person so much that it was almost like she couldn't breathe without him?

 _But it feels so right._

"Okay, I'm back," Anakin's breathless voice sounded at the door, as though he had been running. "I've got some things for you. Are you going to let me in?"

She swallowed. "Ani, I'm not… _decent_ , right now."

He scoffed. "I've seen you naked more times than I can count, angel," he said in a teasing lilt. "It's not something I haven't seen before."

His joke makes her laugh softly and she hesitantly pulls her ruined underwear back up and opens the door. Anakin is standing there, with a pile of things in his arms, smiling sweetly at her. "Okay," he began to hand things to her. "I've got some aspirin. For your cramps. And I found some Tampax in my mom's bathroom, I don't know if it's the ones you use or the right type but it's all I've got for now. And I've got some of my _smaller_ clothes for you, ones I grew out of in highschool that mom still keeps. I know they'll be too big for you, but they should do for now."

Finished with his list, he placed the items in her arms and beamed at her proudly, looking every bit as adorable as he had when he was a child and had finished working on a project. It was one of those grins that warmed her heart and took her back to simpler times, when they were younger, and the biggest problem between them was their age gap.

Padme didn't know what to say. He'd done all of this for her and it was possibly the sweetest, most endearing thing anyone had ever done for her, and if she didn't currently have her arms full, she would have thrown them around his neck and kissed him so hard that he would have fallen backwards. Instead, she opted for the largest smile she could muster, her eyes brimming with tears of affection. "I love you so much," she whispered, and it only served to make his grin widen and he bent to press a kiss to her hair.

"Take your time, angel. I'll be in my room."

She nodded and closed the door, unable to keep the silly smile off her face. _This_ made everything all worth it. Anakin was so good to her, he was so attentive and assertive and sweet and gentle and even though it was sort of over the top and sappy, it made her heart flutter in her chest like she was fourteen again. She continued to grin even as she sorted through the clothes had he had brought her – a pair of grey sweatpants and a large, maroon jersey that he'd obviously worn when he was at school, for it had the name **SKYWALKER** in large, black letters on the back. Everything was far too long for her; she had to roll the bottoms of the sweatpants up four times before they rested about her ankles, and the jersey swallowed her petite form, like she was wearing a large sack. But it smelt so distinctly of Anakin, musty, like dried sweat and dirt and oil, yet there was the scent of the apple smelling washing detergent his mother used. She brought the collar up to her nose and inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. It smelt like _home_.

Once she was dressed, she folded up her things and put them in a plastic bag before heading into Anakin's room. He visibly brightened as she approached him and leapt to his feet, taking her shoulders in his large hands. Kissing her nose softly, he beamed down at her. "Are you feeling better? You're as pale as a ghost."

Padme laughed at him. "It takes about half an hour for the meds to kick in, Anakin," she reminded him.

He rolled his eyes. "Well, you must be feeling better. You're back to chastising me," he teased playfully, earning him a wack to the shoulder. He didn't notice, only took her hands and lead her back to his bed. The way he was handling her, like she was a porcelain doll, made her frown a little, but she held her tongue, because he was really just trying to be sweet and it wasn't fair of her to reprimand him for it. He made her sit down and propped her up with some pillows behind her head, then smoothed out her hair. "You look so beautiful right now," he told her, sincerely.

"I definitely don't feel beautiful," she scoffed. "I feel like shit." As she said the words, she was hit without another terrible cramp, and curved inwards to absorb some of the pain. A flash of worry flickered in Anakin's eyes and he sat beside her, stroking her cheek with his long fingers.

"Is there anything else I can do?" he asked, concerned eyes scanning her face. "What do you need, angel? I'll get it for you, anything, just tell me."

She couldn't keep her tongue any longer. "I've got my period, Anakin. I'm not an invalid."

He remained firm. "I don't care. Let me take care of you. Stop being so stubborn and let me get you what you need."

Eventually, she reneged and nodded her head, slowly. "Well, a cup of herbal tea would be nice. Camomile, if you've got it," she added, not wanting to seem too picky.

Smiling at his victory, Anakin kissed her wrist and nodded. "Your wish is my command, milady," and it was one of the silliest things she'd ever heard and she snorted with laughter as he left the room, flashing her a teasing grin. While he was gone, she snuggled further into the pillows, pulling the covers up to her chin so that only her head was peeking out. Anakin returned moments later with a steaming mug of camomile and she took it eagerly between her hands, delicately sipping the sweet nectar and letting it warm her body from the inside. The aspirin began to kick in after ten more minutes and she was no longer a victim of cramps. With a contented sigh, she reached for him and pulled him down beside her, curling into his chest as he flung an arm around her shoulders.

"Thank you for doing all this," she told him, full of gratitude. "You're so good to me, Ani. Truly. I don't know what I did to deserve you."

Gentle fingers took hold of her chin and tilted her head just enough so that she met his gaze. The way he was looking at her, the way he always looked at her, left no doubt in her mind that she was all he would ever want and nothing, _nothing_ , could stop him from loving her. It was a constant reassurance that was only strengthened when she was with him. Those eyes, that beautiful blue that had suddenly become her favourite colour in the world, would never lie to her.

"I ask myself that same question every day," he muttered, thick with adoration and he bent to brush his lips against hers and it ignited that same fire in her belly as it did every time. "Can I ask you something?" Suddenly, he was awkward and shy and uncomfortable, and Padme tilted her head in confusion at his change in demeanour.

"Of course, Ani," she nodded with a smile.

He swallowed heavily, eyes leaving her for a moment to quickly scan the wall before once again resting on her features. "I'm not being jealous or anything, right now, I promise. I'm – I'm just… _curious._ " The way he said it, so insistent that she would believe him, gave her no choice but to nod her head again in reassurance. "Why _did_ you want to see Clovis again, anyway?"

The question caught her by surprise. "I… I don't know," she replied, honestly. "I guess I thought that, maybe if I saw him again, I'd figure out _why_ , you know? Why I wasn't good enough for him." She laughed bitterly as she said the words, realising how stupid it all sounded. Why did that even matter anymore, when she had Anakin? Why had she let it bother her so much? "I was being so selfish, Ani," she continued, glancing up at him under her eyelashes. "None of that even matters. I don't need to be good enough for Clovis. All that matters is that I'm good enough for you." She cupped his jaw as she said the words, trying to express how sincere she was with her eyes and touch alone.

Anakin smiled kindly down at her and turned his head to kiss her palm. "Trust me, angel. You are way too good for me."

Padme frowned. "Don't say that," she pouted, crossing her arms and fixing him with a firm stare. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not perfect?"

The corners of his mouth twitched up into a smirk. "How many times do I have to tell you that you are to me?" When she sighed in exasperation, her nuzzled into her hair, inhaling her scent. "How did you ever fall for me?"

She paused and took his hand in hers, meeting his steadfast gaze with equal sincerity. "Because you're the most real person I've ever met, Anakin Skywalker," she said, honestly.

" _Real_?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Everyone in my life hides behind pompousness and facades and masks, but you're so _raw_ ," she explained, every word dripping with the intense affection she felt for him. "You make me feel alive."

His eyes sparkled and it only took a moment before he was smirking at her. "Well, damn. I thought I wooed you with my devilish good looks and charm." He winked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Don't flatter yourself," she teased. "You're not _that_ good looking." Which was a total lie, because honestly, he was probably the most attractive person she'd ever seen who wasn't famous, and he didn't even have to try. But she didn't want to tell him that and inflate his ego.

He made a face of mock insult. "Maybe it's your age talking, but you need glasses, Miss Naberrie. I'm pretty fucking sexy."

She snorted, raising her eyebrow. "My _age?_ I'm only older than you by four years."

He grinned and nuzzled into her cheek. "Mmm," he hummed against her skin. "Practically a cradle snatcher."

Padme hit him, and he cried out before tightening his grip around her shoulders and pulling her into him so that her face was squished against his chest. She shook with laughter, wriggling out of his embrace and pecked his cheek lightly. They settled back into their previous positions, Padme sipping her tea and Anakin stroking her hair. It was so relaxed and easy, she could have stayed that way forever.

"Can we just stay in bed all day and watch T.V.?" she asked through a yawn, rubbing her cheek along his shoulder.

Anakin grinned. "I thought you'd never ask."

That day, they made it to season 4.


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: Happiness and fluffy times because god knows that they need it. My babies need to be happy after all the stuff I've put them through over the last few chapters (yes, I'm a terrible mother).**_

 ** _Also, I love Sola Naberrie. I wish I had a sister like her (actually, I just wish I had a sister in general. Being an only child is such an unfortunate, lonely fate)._**

 ** _Enjoy xx_**

* * *

"I'm going to make you dinner!" Anakin announced proudly as he watched Padme pour tirelessly over her course material for the upcoming semester. It would be the last time she'd ever have to do this, and she was both relieved and terrified, because once it was over, she would be out in the real world. It was something she had longed for since she had started, but now that it was drawing near, she was anxious.

"Yeah," she responded, not entirely listening. She was sitting on the sofa, legs crossed underneath her, an open textbook in her lap and her tongue between her teeth. Anakin lay on his back at her feet with his arms behind his head, his sweater risen up from the pull of his arms to expose his lower belly and waistband of his low rising jeans. Odd matched socks were on his feet, his shoes having been discarded by the door once he had entered the house.

He prodded her knee with his finger. "Are you even listening to me?"

Tearing her eyes away from her textbook, she blinked at him with a blank expression. "Hmm?" she tilted her head to the side in confusion. "What did you say?"

Anakin just laughed at her and sat up. "That's not the reaction a guy wants when he says he's going to make dinner for his girl."

Padme grinned at him and leant over her knees to peck his lips sweetly. "I didn't know you could cook," she teased.

"Mom wasn't always home at night so I had to make myself food," he explained with a shrug. "I've been cooking since I was ten."

"So how come you've never cooked for me before?" Padme asked, quirking an eyebrow. "You're not exactly modest about your talents."

Grinning impishly, he stretched out with a sort of feline grace, flexing his long limbs, before relaxing. "I've been saving them for a special occasion."

Padme scoffed at him. "Or you're just lazy."

He gasped, feigning insult. "Ouch," and clutched at his chest. He was so dramatic sometimes, it made her laugh.

"Well, enlighten me, Anakin. What's the special occasion?"

Anakin reached up to take her hand, pulling it away from her book so it fell awkwardly off the sofa, and caressed each of her fingertips. "It's New Year's Eve," he told her simply, as though that explained everything. "It's a start of a new year together." He sat up and crossed his legs. "I want to cook for you and then kiss you at midnight."

She shook her head at him. "You've got to be the sappiest person I've ever met, Ani," she told him fondly.

"What?" he tipped his head to the side, pouting at her, as he put both of his hands on her knees.

"I didn't know you were such a romantic," she grinned, cheekily.

Anakin, however didn't appreciate it and began to flush adorably, biting his lip and ran a hand through his hair. "Oh… well, we – we don't have to – it was just a suggestion… I was just – "

She shushed him with a finger over his mouth. "I think it's sweet, Ani." Before he could retort, she pushed her book off her knees and slid into his lap, taking his face in both of her hands. His went instantly on her hips, to steady her. "So, what are you going to cook for me?"

He grinned. "I can't tell you, it'll ruin the surprise." His hands caressed her lower back and he drew her in for a kiss and Padme closed her eyes happily. Everything was so much better now. She relished in the new progression forward. They'd both been stupid and made mistakes, but they'd gotten through it and made it to the other side, and she knew that it could only get better from here.

"Oh," she remembered when they pulled away to breathe. "Sola's taking the girls ice skating today, because they're leaving tomorrow and she asked me to go with her. Did you want to come?"

Anakin shrugged, a lazy smile on his face. "Sure."

Padme beamed. "The girls simply _adore_ you," she said, which made his chest puff up a little in pride. "Pooja said that when she's older she wants to marry you."

"Who can blame her," he winked, waggling his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes at him. "You're so full of yourself."

Grinning madly, he seized her tighter in his arms so that their noses were pressed together. "You love me."

"I don't know…" she retorted playfully, and he responded by gripping her hips and rolling her over so he hovered above her, resting his weight on his elbows. Just when she thought he was about to kiss her again, his fingers began to dig into her sides and she squirmed uncomfortably at the sensation. Mad laughter ripped through her as she giggled and tried to throw him off of her. He dodged every one of her swinging limbs, before taking her wrists in his hand and pulled them roughly above her head. She pouted up at him, breathing steadily through her nose as her chest rose and fell deeply from her laughter. "Not fair."

Anakin laughed huskily and pressed his lips to her neck, suckling at the hollow of her throat making her eyes roll back in her head from her pleasure. As he lulled her into a vulnerable state of euphoria, she failed to notice his hand creeping up underneath her sweater, until he began tickling her again and she broke away from his mouth to giggle uncontrollably. "Ani – _s-stop_!" she cried as she gasped for air. Tears welled in her eyes and she hook a leg over his hips in an attempt to roll him over. He didn't budge. " _Anakin!_ "

"Say it," he demanded with a grin, continuing to torture her. "Say you love me."

She bit her lip stubbornly before she was wracked with another shiver. "Never," she whispered, with a teasing smirk.

His hands tightened around her wrist and he stared straight into her eyes. " _Say it._ "

Just when she was about to relent, an awkward coughing interrupted them. Padme jumped and looked away from Anakin to see her father standing in the doorway, in his pyjamas. His face was red from embarrassment and he quickly averted his eyes from the scene before him. Anakin immediately rolled off of Padme and sheepishly ran a hand through his hair.

"Oh, morning dad," Padme greeted him more cheerfully than intended, flashing him a wide smile.

Ruwee cleared his throat and nodded. "Good morning, Padme. Anakin."

Padme took this opportunity to glance over her father. He looked well rested, there were no bags under his eyes as they're had been the day before, yet his hair was ruffled and messy. She thought nothing of it, until she realised that the sofa she was sitting on, the pull out sofa that her father had been sleeping on ever since he arrived, hadn't been used last night. She bit her lip and frowned as she began to put the pieces together. Glancing at the time, she noticed it was almost 9:30, which was far too late for her father to be waking up. He was an early riser. Had he been… had her parents…?

As she put two and two together, her mother came downstairs, a joyful bounce in her step. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her hair equally messy, and Padme swallowed awkwardly as she realised what had happened last night.

"Good morning, sweetheart," she greeted Padme happily, and beamed when she noticed Anakin. "Hello Anakin, are you joining us for breakfast?"

Padme glanced at him, and he shook his head. "No thank you, Jobal. I'm going to head home I think." He stood up and helped Padme to her feet, kissing her cheek. "I'll see you in an hour?"

Nodding, Padme squeezed his hand. "Sounds good." She watched him leave, muttering polite goodbyes to her parents, and then she was left alone. Alone with her parents. Her parents who had obviously slept together last night. The knowledge was confronting. Padme didn't know what to do. All she knew was that she needed to tell her sister.

"Your father's offered to make breakfast," Jobal informed her, a wide grin on her face. Padme couldn't recall the last time she had seen her mother so happy. Her father cleared his throat again, not quite meeting Padme's eye, and nodded. She suspected he knew that she knew and was obviously just as embarrassed as she felt.

Padme needed to get out of there. "Oh, that's… nice. I'm just… shower and – I'll be down soon." Then, without another word, she hurried upstairs and knocked on her sister's door. "Sola?"

The door opened moments later to reveal Ryoo, dressed head to toe in pink; a puffy pink snow jacket, gloves, beanie and scarf and gumboots. She was like walking candyfloss. Her blonde ringlets curled down to her shoulders underneath her fluffy beanie. She looked positively adorable. "Hello, Aunty Padme," she said politely.

Beaming down at her little niece, she pressed a sweet kiss to the top of her head. "Hello, Ryoo. Don't you look cute."

The eight-year-old pouted, a pout that reminded Padme of her sister, and narrowed her blue eyes. "I hate pink," she said. The way her little voice, so sweet and innocent, said those words made Padme laugh.

"I don't like pink, either," she told the little girl. Ryoo brightened up a bit at that, just as Pooja sprinted into the doorway and flung her little arms around Padme's leg.

"Aunty Padme!" she squealed in delight, letting go to bounce on her toes excitedly. Like her older sister, she was equally dressed head to toe in pink, but unlike Ryoo, didn't seem to mind at all. "Do you like my outfit?" She twirled on the spot several times, before stumbling into her sister, giddy. Ryoo pushed her little sister away with a frown and walked back inside.

"Very stylish," she told her niece, bending down so that she was eye level.

"It's from Santa," she trilled, the smile so wide on her face that it caused dimples to break out on her cheeks.

Padme looked up to see her sister sitting on the bed and grinned. "Well then, Santa much have very, _very_ good taste." Sola rolled her eyes. "Now, can I talk to mommy?"

Pooja nodded and took Padme's hand, pulling her inside the room. Her sister smiled at her before turning back to her husband, who was buttoning up his coat. The way she was looking at him, such _love_ in her eyes, made Padme smile.

"Hey, sis," Sola said, before standing and straightening the collar of Darred's shirt. "You're thirty seven, honey. You should be able to dress yourself by now," she tsked, placing her hands on her husband's chest.

The blond, Swedish man rolled his eyes at his wife, before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Why would I bother, when I have a wife who insists on dressing me?"

Padme watched the interaction, fondly. It reminded her of her relationship with Anakin. She hoped that, one day, they would be like this, still bickering and teasing each other like they did now.

"Daddy!" Pooja called, running over to him and tugging on his arm. "I wanna build a snowman!"

With a heavy sigh, Darred flashed Sola an amused smirk, before taking both of his daughter's hands and leading them out of the room. Padme sat on her sister's bed. The distant, high-pitched singing of _Do You Want To Build A Snowman_ filtered up through the window and Sola muttered, " _bloody Frozen"_ , under her breath.

"You have a wonderful family," Padme told her sister honestly. It was moments like this that made her wish for a family of her own; with a husband and children, doing cute things like this. With Anakin.

Sola beamed at her. "Yeah," she agreed, wistfully. "I'm pretty lucky." She joined her little sister on the bed. "Are you coming ice-skating with us?"

"Yes," Padme nodded. "I wouldn't miss it. Anakin's coming too."

Laughing, Sola made a face. "Well, as long as he knows that Pooja won't leave him alone the entire time…

Padme laughed. "Yeah, he knows. Secretly, I think he loves it." Anakin had never been shy when it came to getting attention. Part of her believed it was because he was an only child and his mother doted on him.

"He's pretty good with the girls," Sola remarked, sounding impressed. "You did well."

"Yeah." Her voice trailed off as she remembered just how attentive and adorable Anakin was with her nieces. He doted on them, and didn't mind acting silly and playing girlish games with them. It only made him more wonderful in her eyes. When she saw him with the girls, her mind often wondered to the future, imagining him with their own children, seeing him playing with a little blond haired, blue eyed boy, and her heart would swell with affection. _One day_ , she thought to herself, unable to keep the shy smile off her face.

Her sister noticed. "I never thought I'd see the day," she whistled in astonishment.

"What day?"

"The day that my little sister wants to settle down."

Padme shook her head immediately. "I don't want to settle down," she replied, immediately.

Shrugging, Sola grinned. "Not now, no. But eventually. I know that look, Padme. Don't let mom see it though; she's already talking about having more grandkids."

Her eyes grew wide. "Grandkids?" she stammered. "Don't be ridiculous. Anakin and I aren't even – "

"So you haven't even talked about it?" her sister interrupted, fixing her with a confused expression. "I mean, you thought you were pregnant. Haven't you two talked about the possibility of having a child?"

Padme blanched. They _hadn't_ talked about it. They'd muttered ideas, in the heat of the moment, but as soon as Padme found out she wasn't pregnant, they hadn't talked about it again. _Should_ they be having these kinds of conversations? Was that moving too fast? Padme didn't want children just now. She wasn't in the right mindset to start a family, and Anakin definitely wasn't. "I guess we… we'll just deal with it if it ever happens," she replied carefully.

Sola reached out and squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to scare you. I just want you to think about these things. It happens."

"I know," Padme said, meekly. She clasped her hands in her lap, staring down at them as her fingers twined together. This wasn't something she wanted to talk about – even with her sister, whom was her best friend and someone she could talk to about everything. After everything that had happened with her and Anakin over the past few days, she didn't want to do anything that would possibly ruin everything they'd worked so hard to make right.

Sensing that she was uncomfortable, Sola changed the subject. "What did you want to see me about? When you came in here, you looked like you'd seen a ghost."

Padme swallowed. She didn't know how to broach this topic, or how her sister would react. It was shocking enough, even for _her_ , who already knew that her father still had feelings for her mother. But Sola's relationship with Ruwee was different. Padme didn't know if they had sorted out their issues and made up, so she was unsure how her sister would take this information. "I think mom and dad slept together last night," she muttered quickly, refusing to look at her sister.

The silence was deafening. From the corner of her eye, she could see Sola frantically absorbing the information, a frown of confusion etched on her face. When she eventually face Padme, her eyes were narrowed. "What?"

"Dad didn't sleep on the pull out, last night," Padme explained. "And they both came downstairs this morning at the same time."

"Oh my god…" Sola let out a harsh laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's so… fuck, that is so messed up." She looked at Padme then, a slightly crazed look in her eyes. "Are they – are they back together?"

"I don't know."

"He _left,_ " she hissed. "He left her, left _us_! How can he just come back and – "

Padme reached out and took her sister's hand. Her anger and confusion was completely justified. "He still loves her, Sola. He told me."

Sola's expression hardened and her jaw locked. "I don't care. He _left_ her. He broke her heart and left her all alone. How can he just expect to come back and be forgiven after all these _years_?" Padme suddenly realised that her sister was not talking about their mother anymore, but was referring to herself. Clearly, she still hadn't forgiven their father for choosing his career over his family.

She sighed, sadly. "You should have seen mom, though," she told her sister. "I haven't seen her that happy in a really long time."

Her sister didn't speak. She only stood up and reached for her coat, throwing it over her shoulders. Padme watched her do the buttons up with trembling fingers. It was a few moments before she spoke. "They're adults," she muttered under her breath, seemingly to herself. "I'm sure they know what they're doing."

Nodding, Padme smiled. "We should be supportive," she said. "Whatever happens between them."

Sola snorted. "Typical Padme. You think everything with have a happy ending."

"Is that a bad thing? To have hope?" she asked.

Shaking her head, Sola just sighed. "When are you going to stop being so naïve, little sister?"

Padme sat on the bed, pondering her sister's words as Sola left the room to join her family outside in the snow. Naïve? Was she really naïve? _Yes_ , a voice told her. The more she thought about it, the more she realised the truth in her sister's words. She believed in a world where everything worked out just right; where her parents would get back together without any hard feelings, where she and Anakin would make it through the distance that divided them. It was a childish way to live. There were some things that couldn't have a happy ending. But Padme was an optimist. Everything would work out in the end, she was sure of it.

After breakfast with her parents, which had been one of the most awkward encounters she had ever experienced, because the flirting had been outrageous and her mother had never giggled so much in her life, Padme met Anakin, and they walked with her sister and family to the park. Every winter, the council set up a rink in the park where it cost $2 to have a skate. They had skates to hire, which Padme was grateful for, since she hadn't been ice-skating in more than ten years and had outgrown her pair of skates.

She tied up her laces and took Anakin's hand as he led her out onto the ice. She felt unsteady and clutched at the wall, clinging to it desperately. More experienced skaters flew past her and each time she flinched and closed her eyes. A part of her felt embarrassed at how scared she was, for the only other people clinging to the wall like her were young children. Anakin laughed at her and then skated away with a sort of athletic grace that made her scowl. Why was he always so good at everything? She watched him turn and twirl and spin with envy.

"What's with that face?" he teased when he returned to her. She glared at him and slowly shuffled her feet, still holding on tight to the wall. Laughing again, Anakin took her arm and said, "hold on to me." Biting her lip, she looked at him and then back to the wall.

"Ani…"

He flashed her a reassuring smile. "Would I ever let you fall, angel?"

She shook her head and, with a deep inhale, she let go of the wall and flung herself into Anakin's chest. His laughter rumbled through her as he wrapped his arms around her and slowly glided backwards. Her fingers curled tightly into his coat as she nuzzled into him, not trusting herself to remove herself from his embrace in case she lost balance.

"It's alright, angel," he whispered, lips at her ear. "I've got you."

That steadfast reassurance was all she needed and she slowly lifted her head and gripped his forearms so tightly, she was sure she was hurting him. If so, Anakin didn't show it, and simply beamed down at her, his hands resting steadily on her hips to keep her upright. "Thank you," she muttered gratefully.

He shook his head. "I thought you liked skating," he asked, a bemused smirk on his face.

"I did – I _do_ ," she insisted, stubbornly. "It's just… well, I haven't skated in ten years. I forgot how… _terrifying_ it is when you're out of practice."

Anakin laughed at her, his eyes incredibly blue in the white light reflected off the ice. "It's not terrifying," he assured her. "You just need to trust yourself."

Padme scoffed. "Easy for you to say, Mr Professional Skater." He grinned at the praise. "How come you're such a natural?" she demanded, a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"I grew up here, remember," he reminded her. "Ahsoka and I would go do this every winter – she went through a phase where she wanted to be a hockey player."

Padme was about to retort when a series of skates whizzed past her, causing her to lose balance and she went crashing into Anakin with a little squeal of fright. The impact caused him to fall over and Padme landed on top of him, crushing his ribs. "Ow," he muttered, blinking up at her and then he suddenly began cackling with laughter and Padme forgot that everyone was looking at them making fools of themselves because Anakin looked so gorgeous in that moment that she couldn't help but laugh as well. Her lips found his and she kissed him fiercely, earning a few wolf-whistles from fellow skaters, but for once, she didn't care. All that mattered was her and Anakin, sprawled across each other on the freezing ice.

"I think that's enough skating for you, Miss Naberrie," Anakin teased, rolling her off of him so he could stand up, before pulling her up on her feet. She laughed in agreement, and let him lead her over to the wall, where she stepped out and sat down on a seat to take off her skates. When she looked back at Anakin, he winked at her, and then skated over to where Sola was spinning with Pooja. Her little niece squealed in delight when Anakin took her hand and the two of them began skating together and Padme watched, a surge of affection rushing through her. He really, truly, was great with her nieces. One day, when they were ready, he was going to be a wonderful father, Padme just knew it.

Sola joined her a few moments later, her cheeks flushed from the cold. "If you looked any more in love, you'd have hearts for eyes," she remarked, rolling her eyes.

Padme blushed furiously, unable to stop smiling. "What do you mean?"

"You're like a lovesick puppy, the way you look at him."

"What's wrong with that?" Padme asked, timidly.

"Other than the fact that it's sickening?" Sola teased with a smirk. "Nothing."

Giving her sister a curt glare, she turned her attention back to Anakin. There was such a brilliant smile on his face, so bright and beautiful, it lit up everything around him. And the way he was laughing, so carefree and easy, it almost made Padme fall in love with him again. She could have watched him forever.

"How soon did you know?" she asked Sola suddenly.

"Know what?"

"That you wanted to spend the rest of your life with Darred?"

Sola regarded her curiously. "I don't know," she replied. "It just sort of happened. Why?"

Padme sighed and turned to face her sister, her expression completely serious. "I think – no, I _know_ , that I – I want to marry Anakin."

The sudden proclamation took Sola by surprise and she spluttered. "Wh – what?"

"Not _now_ ," Padme assuaged her. "We're not ready for marriage yet, that would be ridiculous! But… one day, when we're both graduated…" she broke off with a silly smile. "Do you think that's weird? To know so early on? I mean, we haven't been together for that long, not really, and we've got things we need to work on and yet I _know_ , you know? I don't think – I just _know_ that I… I can't live without him."

Sola beamed at her and put her hand on her knee. "Padme, that's not weird at all," she said, earnestly. "Sometimes, with the right person, it just _clicks._ I never would have thought I'd marry a guy like Darred, a put-together, sensible, intelligent man who knows what he wants. You know what I was like…" Padme nodded. Her sister had been a girl of many flings, who'd gone through boyfriends so quickly, that no one had ever thought she'd settle down and marry. "But then I met him and… he grounded me, and the best decision I've ever made in my life was to agree to go out with him."

Padme smiled and looked back over at Anakin. Sola followed her gaze and smiled. "When you've got a man like that," she said, "someone who knows you and accepts you and completes you, you don't let him go."

When Anakin returned to her, holding Pooja's hand tightly, nose and ears and cheeks red from the cold, and met her eyes with the most endearing smile on his face that made Padme's heart flutter in her chest, she knew her sister was right. He pressed a kiss to her temple as he sat down beside her, unlacing his skates and Padme made a promise to herself. Never, _ever_ again was she going to do something that would make Anakin walk away from her.


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N: Oh, Anakin. You're just so protective of your girls. I love it!**_

 _ **Ahsoka, you poor, troubled, confused teenage girl. I still love you.**_

 _ **I like to think this is one of those moments where Padme once again proves how wonderful she is. She's just such a compassionate and understanding individual.**_

 _ **Enjoy xx**_

* * *

It felt good to do nothing. To sit back and let Anakin do everything. Not that Padme was much of a cook anyway, because she wasn't. She could make simple things, especially if it came pre-cooked in a packet, like ready-to-cook pasta or frozen pizza, but anything beyond that and she usually just gave up because she just didn't have the _time_. Dorme was the household cook and Padme would do the cleaning. It was a good arrangement, given that her roommate was a bit lazy in keeping things tidy. And it meant that Padme was able to stay out of the kitchen.

She watched, intrigued, cradling a glass of wine in her hands, as Anakin stirred his concoction by the stove. She'd been surprised when Anakin had informed her that they would have the house to themselves, but Shmi and Cleigg had gone to visit his son Owen and were staying there a few nights, so, they were completely alone. Something about that ignited a little spark of excitement in Padme. It wasn't as though they'd never been alone together, but the idea of them being in a house, by themselves, with Anakin cooking for them made her feel incredibly _adult_. Once again, she couldn't help but imagine them doing things like this in the future, on a lazy weekend after they'd both had busy weeks at work.

"What are you smiling about?" Padme was brought back from her thoughts by Anakin, and blinked her eyes a few times, before she realised that she had one of those silly smiles on her face that seemed to arise naturally when he was around.

Shaking her head, she replied, "Oh, nothing in particular. Just… this…" she inclined her head towards the stove. "It's nice. No one's ever done this for me before."

Anakin smirked at her. "Well, don't get too used to it. I expect the favour to be returned."

Padme chuckled and ran her finger slowly around the rim of her glass, wetting her lips with her tongue. "I can think of other ways to return the favour," she purred. The sight of his eyes growing dark with desire thrilled her. She loved the fact that he was _just_ as affected by her as she was by him. It never failed to make her feel powerful.

"I look forward to it, then" he replied, voice dripping with need, and Padme shuddered with anticipation. He held her gaze for a moment, lips curling into a knowing smile, before his attention was once again occupied by the bubbling pot behind him.

Curious, Padme hopped off the stool at the counter and moved to stand beside him, wrapping an arm around his waist as she peered around his shoulder. A heady aroma of tomato, spices and chilli filled her nose and she inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. Beside her, Anakin rumbled a half-laugh, turning his head to face her.

"What is it?" she asked him.

"Chilli," he replied with a proud little smile. "It's my mom's favourite." Then, before Padme could express that she wasn't the biggest fan of Mexican food – there were far too many beans for her liking – Anakin had brought the ladle to her lips and she had no choice but to open her mouth. She sipped the contents from the ladle, surprised at how much she actually enjoyed it. It wasn't too spicy, but with just the right amount of flavour. She licked around the edges of her mouth and grinned at him. "Do you like it?"

"I can see why it's your mom's favourite." Honestly, it was that good. She was tempted to dip her finger in again, but decided against it. Anakin beamed at her, all triumphant and proud and so pleased with himself that she couldn't help but return his smile. The sight of him like this, so relaxed and easy and content; it brought a sense of calm about her. After everything they'd been through, the harsh words they'd both exchanged, the muddled feelings, it felt good to be like this. Just existing with and in each other, without worries or cares or drama. Padme released a soft sigh and nuzzled into his side, keeping her arm around his trim waist and letting the other slide down his arm to take his hand. The action made Anakin hum in approval and he pressed his lips to her hair, breathed her in deeply as though he wanted to memorise the smell of her skin.

"Do you keep in contact with your step-brother much?" she asked after a while, keeping her eyes fixed on the stove.

Anakin's shrug emanated through her. "Not really," he replied. "I've only met him once, and that was at the wedding." Padme nodded. She remembered briefly seeing Owen Lars, a stocky, broad shouldered, blond man with a round, happy face. "All I know about him is that he's the same age as me, and he's engaged. The wedding's in a few months."

That took Padme by surprise. Engaged? So young? It seemed like such a waste to her. "But he's only twenty!" she cried, slightly incredulous. "Isn't that too young to get married?"

Her outburst caused him to stare at her curiously, as though he was surprised she would say such as thing. She couldn't blame him. It wasn't exactly the normal reaction of _oh wow, that's wonderful,_ that most people had when they were informed of upcoming nuptials. But it was a shock, all the same. When Padme was twenty, she'd been halfway through her undergraduate degree of international communications, focussed on her prerequisite classes for her current degree of political journalism. She thought back to her younger self, how dedicated she'd been, and wondered if she would have been ready to settle down and get married? The simple answer was _no._ She'd had a plan, and that was to finish school with honours. Marriage had definitely not been in the picture.

"I guess, when it's the right person, it doesn't really matter," Anakin said after a few minutes. "Do you think it's really that bad to get married young?" The tone of his voice, how it had gone all quiet and uncertain, made Padme want to smack herself in the head. Just a look in his eyes told her all she needed to know. She mentally cursed herself. Why had she said something like that? The way he was looking at her was like she'd just crushed all of his hopes and dreams in life.

"Oh, no, of course not," she hurried stammered, trying to wipe that defeated look off his face. "I mean, if they're both happy, then – then it's fine. More than fine, actually. It's great." She flashed him a bright smile and he returned it weakly. It didn't meet his eyes.

"But you think they're too young?" She could hear the double meaning in his voice; subtly was never Anakin's strong point. He was talking about _them_ , which made her begin to panic. Was he going to propose to her? Is that was this was about? Cooking dinner for her, his mother suddenly leaving the house so they were alone? Had she just ruined his plans?

Her heart sank. She felt awful. Because, if he had proposed to her, she'd have to say _no._ Even though she'd told her sister she wanted to marry Anakin someday, _now_ was not the right time. She hadn't graduated. There were more important things she had to focus on. And then there was the task of finding a place to live. Would she have to move to Chicago to be with him? It had always been an option after she graduated anyway, because she couldn't handle another two years of long distance, but if they got married, they'd definitely have to live together. And there'd be pressure for her to find a job straight away. Would they even be able to afford their own place? Padme was living off her father's money, she couldn't do that for the rest of her life.

She forced herself to remain calm and gave a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders, to appease him. "It's doesn't really matter what I think," she told him. "It's not my decision." Anakin nodded once, twice, and ran a hand through his hair, looking adorably sheepish and insecure and uncertain, and Padme stretched up on her toes and kissed his mouth softly. She felt so incredibly guilty that she had possibly ruined the entire evening, but at the same time, she was glad that she'd done it, even in such a subtle, unconscious way, because she didn't think she could bear seeing the heart broken look on Anakin's face when she refused him. She loved him, _oh_ how she loved him, more than she had ever loved anything, but timing was essential in every relationship. They'd only been together six months and they'd just overcome a massive hurdle. They needed time to adjust, to heal.

 _One day, Ani_ , she tried to convey through her lips, and he must have understood, because he turned and rested his hands on her hips, pulling her closer to him so he could deepen the kiss. They stayed that way for a while, Anakin's hands moved up to run through her hair, as they often did. He loved it when she wore her hair down, and it was longer than it had been the last time they'd seen each other, earlier in the month. She'd contemplated cutting it off, because _really_ , long curly hair was difficult to maintain, but she knew he wouldn't approve. It was one of the things he loved most about her – and she secretly loved it when he would run his hands through it or twirl it around his fingers.

They were forced apart when the pot began to bubble over on the stove, and Anakin cursed under his breath and hurriedly turned it off, before it became a disaster. Padme laughed, bringing her hands to her mouth to muffle her giggles, and he smirked cheekily at her. "You shouldn't distract the chef, Miss Naberrie," he chastised, playfully. "Things could get… dangerous."

"Are you going to punish me, Mr Skywalker?" she flirted unabashedly, blinking her eyes at him innocently.

Anakin growled, taking her hips roughly in his hand and slammed her against the counter, pressing his body against hers. She could feel his arousal pressing obviously against her stomach and grinned in spite of herself. He was so _easy,_ always so ready for her. With a snarl, he breathed hotly in her ear, before sliding his lips down her neck, grazing her skin with his teeth, making her shudder. When he reached her clavicle, he nipped her, sharply, so pleasurably in its pain and she uttered an aroused whimper. "Do you want that?" he exhaled darkly, the sound of his low, rough voice melting her insides. "Do you need to be punished?"

Soft lips suckled at the hollow of her throat and she let her head fall back, giving him further access to her. His thigh slipped between her legs and she unconsciously moved her hips against him, making him groan deep in the back of his throat. As her hands ran down his chest to slip into his pants, stroking his hard cock through his underwear, which twitched at her touch, his phone began to ring.

With a sigh, she made to push him off of her but Anakin didn't budge. "Ani…" she half-laughed, pushing on his chest with both of her hands.

He only growled and shook his head against her. "Ignore it. I'll call them back," he insisted, too consumed on feasting on her neck and sliding his hands along her stomach.

It rang again and this time, Anakin swore, forcing himself off of Padme and grabbing his phone aggressively off the counter. "Snips, I swear you have the worst fucking timing," he spat into the phone. Padme watched him curiously, as his expression turned from frustration to outright _rage._ " _What?!"_ he roared, his fists clenching so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "Right, I'm coming down there right now!" Then he hung up, searching around the counter frantically for the keys to his mother's car, all the while swearing vehemently.

Padme approached him, tentatively, not wanting to upset him even further. "Anakin?" she began, reaching out to touch his arm. He spun around so fast, a venomous look on her face, that she immediately took a step back. "Is Ahsoka alright?"

He visibly shook. She'd never seen him this angry before. "She's at a fucking party," he hissed. "A senior party. And she's fucking _wasted!_ That was her friend Barriss on the phone." He paused to catch his breath. Padme was shocked. Wasted? But she was so young! Barely turned fifteen, and already getting wasted and going to parties with seniors. No wonder Anakin was so furious. "I'm going down there and as soon as I find her, I'm going to ring her little neck!" he growled, and stormed out of the kitchen.

"Ani, wait!" Padme called after him. The state he was in, so emotional, she wasn't about to let him drive alone. He could hurt himself… or worse, someone else. "I'll go with you."

"Padme, this is something between me and Ahsoka," he told her firmly as he continued on his rampaging path. "It's got nothing to do with you."

But she wouldn't have it. She caught his arm, forcing him to stop and look back at her, and met his simmering eyes firmly. "I'm not letting you go alone." To reiterate her words, she gave his hand a squeeze.

Anakin's expression softened, not much, but just enough for him to give a curt nod. "Fine. If you insist."

She followed him out to his mother's sedan, which was parked in the driveway, and quickly jumped into the passenger seat. Anakin was in a hurry, his hands flying through the gears as he reversed and sped down the road. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tight, she thought he was going to break it. There was a stony, venomous expression on his face as he drove, completely silent, breathing sharply through his nose, and Padme placed her hand gently on his thigh to reassure him.

Even though she knew he was angry, it was endearing how much Anakin clearly cared for Ahsoka. She could tell that he was worried about her, and he hid that behind his frustration, but Padme knew. "She'll be alright, Ani," she assured him, and he turned to face her, his eyes pained and somewhat horrified and all she could do was smile at him was nothing else to say. Padme could only imagine what he was feeling right now, and none of it was good.

When they pulled up outside the part, she couldn't help but roll her eyes at how cliché it was. There were so many kids and the music was so loud that it made her entire body vibrate as soon as she got out of the car. Anakin stormed up the lawn, jaw locked and fierce, and many of the kids on the side walk stared at him strangely as he passed, whispering to each other and pointing. Padme hurried to keep up with him, trying to reassure some of the more startled teens with kind smiles. A few senior girls whistled in appreciation, but Anakin neither seemed to notice, or care. He was on a mission and nothing was going to interrupt him.

A tall, slim, older girl, with pale skin, bleached blonde hair and ice blue eyes shrouded in black eyeliner approached them when they walked inside, blocking their path. She held a cigarette deftly in one hand and blew a puff of smoke in Anakin's face as she stood in front of him. "Sorry," she drawled in a deep voice. "Do I know you?"

Anakin growled and drew himself up to his full height. "You will in a second if you don't tell me where Ahsoka Tano is!"

The girl shrugged lazily, looking bored. "Oh, lil 'Soka? She's over there." She stretched out with one long, black nailed finger, towards the backyard, where it looked like a group of boys were making good use of a beer bong. The sight made Anakin's eyes bulge in horror and he made to shove past the girl, when she stopped him. "Uh, uh, uh, I can't just let you in here without knowing who you are," she told him. "I'm Asajj Ventress and this is my house and you look far too old to be a senior."

Anakin swelled up with rage and Padme was certain he was going to start swearing at the girl, so she hurriedly intervened before he made a scene, gripping his forearm tightly in warning. "I'm sorry, Asajj, was it? Anakin is Ahsoka's older brother and he's come to take her home."

Asajj Ventress laughed huskily, taking another long drag from her cigarette. "Alright then, _Anakin_. Go and find lil 'Soka. Though, I warn you, she's not a pretty sight." With a smirk, she exhaled another cloud of smoke that made Padme cough, and waltzed away to the other side of the room.

Snarling, Anakin stomped aggressively through the house, muttering curses and threats and all sorts of things under his breath about Asajj Ventress and all Padme could do was hold his arm and hope that he wouldn't do anything stupid – like pick a fight with a teenager. They found Ahsoka amongst a group of boys, who had just volunteered her for the beer bong and she stood up as the crowd cheered her on. She looked a mess. Her luscious dark hair was matted and tangled, there was – what looked like – vomit on her tiny tank top, a rip in her shorts and her makeup was half down her face.

" _Snips!_ " Anakin shouted loudly over the noise, just as a concerned looking Barriss came rushing over to them. Ahsoka looked up at his voice, cocked her head to the side as though the sight of him amused her, and then flashed him a wry smile.

"Come to join the fun, Skyguy?" she slurred.

"Don't you dare?! You're coming home with me _right_ _fucking now_!"

All around her, the crowd of boys began to laugh and Padme sighed. Anakin really wasn't handling this well at all. If anything, the way he was acting, was only going to egg Ahsoka on. She was right. At his words, Ahsoka grinned slyly and took her place beside the boy holding the bong. "Go and have sex with your girlfriend, Skyguy," she told him, a slight sway to her. "I don't need you."

"Ahsoka!"

She winked at him and opened her mouth, allowing a stream of beer to flood her mouth. Anakin was on her in an instant, before Padme even had time to process what was happening. Suddenly, he had ripped the bong from the boy's hand, causing beer to slosh all over himself, Ahsoka and half of the people watching. Ahsoka let out a cry of frustration as Anakin gripped her forearm roughly, dragging her forcefully away. " _You're coming with me,_ " he snarled and she tried to resist him, but was too drunk to stand up properly and ended up stumbling over. Anakin caught her and Padme rushed to help him, a trembling Barriss at her side.

All eyes were upon them as they made their way out of the house. Asajj Ventress smiled condescendingly at them as they passed her and Padme frowned. She didn't like this girl, and had a sneaking suspicious _she_ was the one who was behind Ahsoka's being here. It clearly wasn't Barriss' idea. The girl was stricken, hovering around her friend like a fretful mother.

"Oh, she's going to be so mad at me," she cried. "She didn't want me to call Anakin, but I had to… she… she threw up _so much_ – I had to do something!"

Padme patted her gently on the shoulder. "You did fine, Barriss. She's going to be alright. We'll look after her." The girl nodded, biting her lip. "Do you need a lift home?"

"No, my parents are coming to pick me up."

"Well, thank you. You're a good friend, Barriss. Ahsoka will understand that, I promise."

It was difficult to get Ahsoka into the back seat, as she threw up again on Anakin's mother's car, which only served to make him angrier, but eventually, they managed to sit her down. Padme decided to sit next to her – Anakin was far too angry to be of any help, and patted her back gently. Luckily, she managed not to throw up again during the car ride home, and Padme helped her upstairs, coaxing her with soft words and smiles. Anakin made to accompany her but she shook her head at him.

"No, Ani," she told him. "I've got it. You're not in the right mood to deal with her right now."

"She's not your responsibility!" he argued.

Padme smiled at him. "She's your family, Anakin. Which means she's my family too." She kissed him on the cheek sweetly, reassuring him that it was going to be alright, and he reneged with a defeated sigh, running a hand through his hair.

"Alright, I'll wait down here."

Getting a drunk fifteen year old girl upstairs was one problem, but getting her into bed was an entirely different one. Even for Padme, who considered herself a rather patient individual. Eventually, she was able to rid Ahsoka of her ruined clothes and dressed her one of Anakin's tshirts and boxer shirts, and tucked her into bed. The girl blinked up at her blankly, her large blue eyes slightly glazed over and Padme sighed sadly.

"Padme…" the girl began, tears welling in her eyes. "He… he hates me now, doesn't he?" The question was uttered so quietly that she almost didn't hear it.

Smiling, Padme sat beside her and smoothed out her hair. "No, Ahsoka. Ani loves you."

Ahsoka's bottom lip trembled, and it made Padme painfully aware that, despite everything that just happened, Ahsoka was still only a young girl. "B-But he… the way he was looking at me – "

"Anakin was worried about you. We all were," Padme explained. "Ahsoka, what were you thinking?"

She whimpered and sniffled. "I – I don't know," she admitted. "Ventress was having a party, and well, Lux was busy and Anakin was with you, so I convinced Barriss to go." Even in her drunken state, Padme could tell that she was regretting her decision."I thought it would be _fun,_ you know… but now he – he's so angry with me!"

"He's only angry with you because he cares about you," Padme reminded her.

"No, he doesn't!" Ahsoka shook her head ardently, tears spilling rapidly down her cheeks. "All he cares about is _you_! He – he never sees me anymore…" she broke off and sunk even deeper into the covers, her cheeks flushing hotly as she admitted what was truly bothering her. It took Padme by surprise. Everything made sense now. It had all been an act, a cry for attention. Ahsoka missed him and acted in a way she knew would get him to notice her again.

Padme patted her hand gently. "You and Anakin have something very special, Ahsoka," she told the girl. "You're like family to him, and he loves you so much."

Nodding, Ahsoka closed her eyes and Padme sensed it was time to leave her alone to her thoughts. She got her a glass of water, then turned off the lights and headed back downstairs. Anakin was sitting at the kitchen counter, head in his hands, and looked up immediately when he heard her presence. The fear, the worry, the uncertainty in his blue eyes was almost heartbreaking. "Is she alright?" he asked her, all former anger gone from his voice.

Nodding, Padme stood in front of him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "She's sleeping. She'll feel pretty terrible in the morning though."

Anakin pressed his lips between her eyebrows, constricting his arms around her tighter. "Thank you," he mumbled, and she knew it was not just for putting Ahsoka to bed, but for soothing him and helping to calm his anger. "I can't believe Obi-wan would let her go to a party."

"I don't think Obi-wan knew," Padme admitted, resting her cheek against his chest. "He probably thought she was just staying with Barriss."

He grumbled. "What was she thinking? She saw what I was like, what happened to me when I got involved in that kind of thing. Why would she want to go down that path?"

Padme pulled back just enough to look him seriously in the eye and brushed a lock of stray hair off his face. "It was a cry for attention." When Anakin only frowned in confusion, Padme sighed. "The girl misses you, Anakin. You've been in Chicago for six months, and now you're home and you spend all your time with me, and she _misses_ you."

"But she has a boyfriend," he said, as though that made all the difference.

She shook her head. "That doesn't matter. The bond you and Ahsoka have… it's different to anything I've ever seen. You're her best friend."

Anakin bit his lip and ran his hands along her spine. "Yeah, I know."

"You should spend some time with her. I mean, you go back to Chicago in a few days. You should do something with her, like you used to before I was in the picture."

He nodded, then furrowed his eyebrows. "But, what about you?"

Padme beamed at him. "I'll be fine. It'll give me some time to spend with my family. I mean, my mom and dad are in the same house together and that hasn't happened since I was fourteen. It'll be good for both of us, I think."

Anakin pulled her in close so his lips met hers. "You have no idea how much I love you," he whispered, all sweet and sincere and gorgeous.

Grinning, Padme twined her hands into his hair. "Why don't you show me?"

He crushed his mouth to hers and they both forgot all about Ahsoka until the morning. _  
_


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N: I'm back! Sorry for taking so long! Hopefully I made up for it with this chapter. It's... uh... well, you'll just have to read it.**_

 _ **It's a bit of a time jump. They're both back at college now, so they're apart. But, you'll understand that once you read it.**_

 _ **Enjoy xx**_

* * *

Padme was woken from her slumber by an insistent, _dreadfully loud_ , ringing. At first, she thought it was her phone and groggily rolled over, muttering under her breath, as she blindly felt along the surface of her bedside table. As she fumbled around, she soon realised that the sound was actually coming from her laptop, which she had forgotten to shut down before she went to bed, and she groaned. It was a Skype call. Rising out of bed rather clumsily, she staggered over to her desk and hurriedly answered the call before it rang out.

Anakin's face immediately appeared before her. Of course.

"Ah, there's my Angel," he said, flashing her an adorable grin. Padme groaned and flicked her eyes to the time flashing at the bottom of the screen. It was 2:30 a.m. She frowned at him.

"Only _you_ would decide that _now_ is the perfect time to Skype, Anakin" she grumbled at him, still half-asleep. The blinding light of her laptop screen was too harsh for her sleepy eyes, and she squinted at him. _How_ did he look _so_ gorgeous at this time in the morning? And, so _awake?_ Padme had a feeling she looked like death itself – she certainly felt like it.

He shrugged lazily. "I miss you."

Shaking her head in exasperation, she glared at him. "I miss you, too," she countered. "But, at least I have the courtesy of waiting until an appropriate time to contact you. What on _earth_ possessed you to call me right now?"

Anakin pouted at her like a child, pleading at her with those beautiful blue eyes of his, and it was so cute, so completely adorable, that Padme softened just a little. "I just wanted to see you," he muttered in a small voice.

Feeling guilty, she gave him a small smile. "I know, Ani. But, you know, you should give a girl a bit of warning before springing a Skype call on her in the middle of the night. I didn't even have time to make myself look presentable!" She gestured to her messy bed hair and the sleep crusted in the corners of her eyes that she hastily brushed away.

The smile he flashed her was so full of affection that she thought she might burst. "You look _beautiful_ ," he told her, honestly.

Padme rolled her eyes at him. "You always say that," she teased, to cover the fact that she wanted to jump through her screen and kiss him senseless.

He grinned back at her impishly. "That's because it's always true."

"I know what you're doing, y'know," she told him with a smirk. He was so predictable, and so far from subtle it always served to make her laugh.

"What's that?" he blinked at her, innocently.

Laughing, she shook her head. "You're sucking up to me so I won't be mad at you for waking me up."

Anakin clutched a hand to his chest and mock gasped. "What?! Me?...Sucking up to you? _Never!_ " He rolled his eyes playfully, but she could see them twinkling with mischief.

 _Oh,_ how she wished he was there, in her room, where she could see him properly, not through the glare of her laptop screen. If he was, she probably would have kissed him so fiercely, he'd be knocked backwards. Seeing his face, even in this way, made her realise just how much she _missed him_ ; just his very presence in her life, his arms around her, his laughter in her ear, lips on hers. It made her _ache_ with loneliness.

"What's that face for, Angel?" he asked her, blue eyes narrowed in concern. It was then, when she looked at the tiny picture of her face in the bottom corner of the screen, that she noticed the sad look in her eyes.

She pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees, crossing her arms around them. "I just… _Ani_ …" She couldn't quite get the words out, but Anakin just seemed to understand what she was saying. It was their private way of communicating sometimes.

He nodded and smiled sadly. "I know." He stretched his arms lazily above his head, and she admired the toned plane of his abdomen that was displayed before her as his t-shirt rode up. There was such an elegant grace about _everything_ he did. She could watch him forever. "I feel like we've been apart for a lifetime, Padme."

His exaggeration made her smirk. "Don't be so dramatic, Ani. It's only been a month."

"When can I see you again, Angel?" He asked, voice desperate and dripping with longing. "I...I _need_ you."

A pang of misery surged through her at his admission, because _god_ only knew that she needed him, too. Ever since she'd returned to Harvard after the Christmas break, she'd been absolutely swamped with work. It was her turn to visit Anakin, but she just couldn't find the time. Even if she'd gone to visit him and brought her workload with her, it wouldn't have been fair to _him_ , because she would just sit in his room all day (and most of the night) furiously studying, unable to give him the attention he deserved, the attention she _wanted_ to give him. Of course, he'd understood when she'd explained how busy she was. She had three papers due and a research article, plus her final thesis, and the stress of it all was getting to her. He'd told her that he'd wait for her schedule to calm down and that they could see each other then. Only, it hadn't. It had been a month since she'd returned, and her assessment calendar was still _full._

With a sigh, she glanced at her assessment calendar on the wall above her desk. "I don't know, Ani," she replied in a defeated voice. "I'm just… I'm _so busy,_ I – I can't get away!"

He frowned and furrowed his eyebrows, deep in thought. "I'll come to you, then."

Of course, he'd say something like that. It was what he'd suggested the last time she told him she couldn't get away. As much as she _wanted_ to see him, as much as it was _killing her_ to be apart from him, she knew it wasn't fair to _him_. How could she ask him to fly all that way, when she _knew_ money was an issue, when she would spend the entire time he was there in her room, studying, and basically ignoring him? He didn't deserve that kind of treatment. When they were able to see each other, she wanted to be able to _actually_ spend time together, in a meaningful way – catching up on lost time by going on cute little dates and adventures together. The last thing she wanted was to subject Anakin to watching her study for an entire weekend.

"We've talked about this, Anakin," she began, rubbing her temples with her fingers. Suddenly, she felt incredibly tired, and it wasn't because she'd been woken up in the middle of the night. Their long distance relationship was exhausting her, and even though it was more than worth it, because she loved Anakin more than anything, her graduation couldn't come quick enough. "I won't be able to do _anything_ except study. And, that's not fair to _you._ It'll be a waste of a trip."

He shook his head, stubbornly. "I don't care, Padme," he insisted, firmly, expression terse and serious. " _Any time_ spent with you is good enough for me, even if I have to watch you study all weekend. Being with you is _never_ a waste of time!"

She smiled in spite of herself. He could be so ridiculously sweet sometimes. And impractical. "No, Ani, that's not fair. We should wait until I have _time_ to actually see you… _properly._ It'll be worth the wait. I _promise_."

The insolent little frown he gave her expressed how _against_ this idea he was, but he didn't say anymore and simply nodded his head. They continued to stare at each other for a few minutes; neither one saying a word, simply drinking in each other, existing in each other's _presence,_ even though it was through a screen. Padme rested her chin on her knees, raking her eyes over Anakin's form hungrily. It had been a month since she'd last seen him _properly_ , real, solid flesh, and she wanted to memorise the sight of him.

Anakin's expression suddenly turned from besotted to mischievous, and she eyed him strangely, and he cocked his head to the side. "Do you think about me, Angel?"

The comment made her laugh softly. "Of course," Padme rolled her eyes at him.

He scoffed, blue eyes twinkling. "I think about _you_ , y'know. _All_ the time." She grinned at him, not expecting anything less of him. Honestly, she didn't want to admit the amount of time she spent thinking about Anakin. He consumed her thoughts every day – she was constantly wondering what he was doing, if he was enjoying his classes, whether he was missing her. Even if, on some days, their communication was via short, quick texts, not a day went by when Padme wasn't thinking about Anakin on some level.

"Do you?" she teased with a smirk.

"Uh huh," he winked at her. Somehow he'd pushed his chair back, so she could clearly see his seated form, resting his elbows on his knees as he leant closer to the screen. "I was thinking about you tonight, actually." His voice dropped lower, to a more suggestive, husky timbre, and Padme didn't miss it. She lifted an eyebrow in response, wondering if he was going to go where she _thought_ this conversation was heading.

Unable to keep her laughter under control, she raised her eyebrows and scoffed. " _Were_ you now?"

"You were in my dream tonight, Padme," he explained in husky tones, as he nodded his head..

She dropped one leg back down to the floor, keeping the other resting on her chair with her arm wrapped around it. "Well, was it a good dream?" she asked, keeping the tone light and innocent just to frustrate him.

"They _always_ are when you're in them, Angel," he teased back, laughing huskily, obviously having none of her innocent act. There was a point he wanted to make, and she knew better than to stop him…still, she liked making it harder for him, nonetheless, _just_ to make him work for it.

She gave a half-yawn and absently twirled a lock of curly hair around her finger, covering the fact that she was slowly beginning to become aroused simply by the dark, dangerous tone of his voice. "Oh, really? And, just _what_ was I doing in your dream, exactly?"

Anakin hesitated, before his lips curved into one of those slow familiar smirks that she knew _so_ well. "You really want to know?," his voice deepened even further.

Laughing, she shrugged. "Well, I didn't get out of bed at this time of night for nothing."

If possible, his eyes became almost black with lust, practically molten, as he trailed them up over every inch of her body. Even through a laptop screen, Anakin still had a way of melting her into a puddle of goo, and she swallowed thickly. She watched as he wet his lips with his tongue, and she was transfixed, suddenly wanting nothing more than to feel those lips against her own. The cold weather had made them a little chapped, but they'd never looked more tempting to her than right now. Anakin noticed where she was looking and smirked.

"Well, you were in that little number of yours…the blue one, from your sister."

Padme felt her cheeks flush with heat. She'd only worn that once, and even though that night had _not at all_ gone to plan, she still remembered the way Anakin had looked at her while she was wearing it. It had been the most beautiful thing she'd ever worn, and he'd seemed so shocked and yet so obviously excited by the sight of her in it that it made her feel incredibly sexy – something she didn't know she could ever feel. Pretty, yes. Beautiful maybe, as a far stretch. But, _sexy?_ She had neither the voluptuous curves nor the confidence to ever consider herself as sexy. But, when she was with Anakin…he made her feel like she was the sexiest woman alive.

"I'm guessing you liked that, then," she tried for coy, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her.

"I did…very, _very_ much," he growled low in his throat. "But, that's not _all_ I liked."

"Mmm?" It was a miracle she could even speak at this point. It'd been so long since they'd been like this, and even though Padme knew that there were far more important things in their relationship, she couldn't deny that she'd missed _this_. No other man could _ever_ affect her like her Ani. He didn't even have to try – just one look from those gorgeous blue eyes, and she came undone. She _wanted_ him _all_ the time, and it alarmed her sometimes, especially since she'd never really been that interested in sex before. When she'd explained this to her sister, Sola had just laughed, letting her know that this was perfectly normal, and said, "Oh, Honey, you're in love. That's what happens when you're in love."

He sat back a little, legs spread on either side of his chair, so that she could see the distinct bulge of his hardening erection in his pyjama bottoms. The sight made her gulp, and he chuckled. "Would you like me to _tell_ you, Angel? Do you _really_ want to know?" He not-so-subtly adjusted himself, and Padme tried to keep her eyes on his face. Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip, biting hard to keep herself in control. _Oh,_ how she wanted him right _now_. Wanted to pull down his pyjamas, straddle his waist and sink down onto him, becoming complete with him again and again until they fell over the edge of oblivion together.

She couldn't speak. Her voice was trapped in her throat. All she could do was nod her head weakly.

Anakin grinned at her in triumph. "I need you to do something for me, first, Angel." He said it softly, intimately, as a suggestion, but Padme knew that it wasn't a polite request, and she would be a fool to deny him. How could she refuse him _anything?_ She nodded her head quickly, affirmation that she would do whatever he asked of her, and he continued in the same intimate tone. "I need you to move over to your bed and take your clothes off."

The bluntness of his request made her hesitate, just for a moment, and her breath caught in her chest. He wanted to do _this? Now?!_ They'd never done anything like this before – not even on the phone – and now he wanted to do _this,_ when he could _see her?_ She felt herself squirm in embarrassment. Padme rarely ever touched herself – nothing could compare to Anakin now that she had felt him; his hands or his lips or even his cock - and she was never able to bring herself to orgasm, so there was hardly any point. The few times she'd tried, she only been left bitter and frustrated. Now, Anakin wanted to _watch her_ – she _knew_ that was what he wanted. She could tell by the look in his eyes – that excited, dangerous look he often wore when he was doing something he knew he probably shouldn't.

The horror must have been etched on her face, for he gave her an encouraging smile. " _Please_ , Angel. _For me_?," he begged softly. "I _need_ to see you! It's been a month and I – will you let me see you?" She can't deny the look in his eyes, full of longing and desire that she _knows_ he has only for her, and so she nodded her head again, picked up her laptop and carried it over to her bed. Sitting cross-legged in front of it, she slowly removes her pyjama shirt, pulling it up over her head and tossed it to the side, arranging her long burnished locks around her shoulders and draped over her chest the way she knew he liked it. She heard Anakin's sharp inhale but didn't look up at him as she was too focussed on removing her pajama pants, keeping her underwear on for the sake of her modesty.

When she finally gained enough courage to look up, she was momentarily paralysed by the expression on Anakin's face. The way he was looking at her was difficult to describe; as though he had been dying of thirst for days on end and Padme was the first water source he'd come across. There was a starved look in his eyes as he trailed them over every inch of her body, and it caused her skin to break out into goose-pimples and her nipples to harden instantly involuntarily. Padme shivered at the sensation.

"You're so… _perfect,_ " he exclaimed in awe. "I'm the _luckiest guy_ in the whole fucking universe to have you as mine."

His use of profanities made her chuckle a little; he was so passionate and caught up in his emotions that he couldn't help but curse, sometimes, but she didn't mind. Not really. She watched as he twitched in his pants at the sight of her, and a sudden, _bold_ idea crossed her own mind.

With a shy smile, she played with the end of her hair and fixed him with a sultry glance. "Ani…" she began, voice low and timid. "I want to see _you,_ too."

The proud grin that broke out on his face made her laugh, and her anxiety dissipated. How could she have even _thought_ about being self-conscious doing this with him, when she knew how much Anakin loved her? How often had he told her she was beautiful? She instantly felt silly for being embarrassed.

He obliged by reaching behind his head and pulling his t-shirt up by the neck, in that way that men did so effortlessly which Padme could never understand. She'd tried, several times, to use the same technique, and only ended up getting stuck. Anakin had tried teaching her once, but it had just resulted in him roaring in hysterical laughter and her trying to somehow free herself from her entanglement. With the same athletic grace, he stood up and dropped his pants to the floor with as much shame as a toddler – _none._ There he was, right in her face, naked and _hard_ for _her,_ and she swallowed, trying not to stare too much. Her mouth had suddenly gone dry.

Sitting back down on his chair, he flashed her a lazy, arrogant grin as he caught her eyeing him unabashedly, and he raised his eyebrows. "See something you like?" he teased, and she rolled her eyes at him, even though her tongue snaked out between her lips to wet them, in anticipation. He was, truly, the most _beautiful_ thing she'd ever seen. Akin to the marble statues erected in ancient times; flawless, smooth skin; clear, defined musculature. There was something about him that was just so rawly _masculine,_ so inherently _male_ , that drew her in. She was helpless around him. Completely captivated, like a moth to a flame.

"I wish you were here," she said in a small, teary voice.

Anakin growled. "Me too, Angel. I **want** you. _Fuck_ , how _bad_ I want you." He gave his cock a tug as though reiterating his words, and Padme couldn't take her eyes away from the sight. It was the most erotic thing she'd ever seen. "If I was there, god, I – I would – " he broke off and closed his eyes, breathing deeply as though he was trying to restrain himself. The tendons in his neck were tight and for some reason, seeing that strain, only enhanced her own arousal.

"Tell me," she breathed, lofty and airy and so turned on. Somehow this was even better than actually being _together_ – Padme couldn't explain it, but it was. "Tell me, Ani. What would you do?"

At her words, his eyes turned impossibly dark, she could hardly distinguish his pupils, and she watched with wild intrigue as he locked and unlocked his jaw several times. "First, I would kiss that pretty mouth of yours," he said darkly. " _Hard_. So hard your lips would be bruised and sore and swollen." Padme brought her fingers up to her lips at the idea, remembering the last time he'd kissed her like that, how it felt like he was pouring his soul into her. He'd gripped the sides of her face tightly, crushing his lips against hers and attacked them without mercy, and Padme had no choice but to surrender to him. As if she had wanted nothing else.

"Can you _feel_ that, Angel?" he asked, as he watched her run her thumb across her bottom lip. "You remember it, don't you?" She nodded. It was all she was capable of doing. Her underwear grew moist at the thought. "But, as much as I love kissing you, I would want more. _Much more._ Show me, Angel. Show me where you would want me to go."

If anyone else had talked to her like this, she would have giggled in embarrassment. But Padme was _far_ from embarrassed. If anything, she was more turned on than she'd ever been in her life; every nerve in her body was alive and alert, simply _aching_ for him. Tilting her head back and slightly to the right, she let her fingers fall from her mouth, drift across her jaw and then down the exposed plane of her neck, until her thumb brushed her collarbone. Her eyes were fixed on his face, watching as he followed her movements, a little teasing smirk playing at his lips.

"Of course," he laughed huskily. "I know how much you like it when I kiss you there. You make these _gorgeous_ little moans when I suck at your throat. Those sounds – _fuck,_ you have _no idea_ how much I love those, Angel. No idea."

If anything, he was harder than he was before, and a little whimper slipped past her lips. The way he was talking to her…she always loved it when he spoke to her during sex but _this…_ it was something else entirely. "Ani…" she exhaled, entire body trembling with desire. Her hand slid lower, down her breastbone to rest between her breasts. "I – I need…" She wasn't exactly sure what she was asking him for; just _more._ More of the wonderful sensations he was stirring inside her.

"I know, Angel," he soothed her. "God, look at your pretty little nipples. They're so fucking hard for me." He was stroking himself harder now, and Padme watched him with wide eyes, the way he twisted and pulled at his cock, squeezing it hard at the tip. Her blood pulsed loudly in her ears. "Touch them for me, Padme. I – I want to _see…_ " he was begging her, desperate and wanton, and she could do nothing but oblige him.

Keeping her eyes on him, she gently grazed her left nipple with her thumb, and gasped suddenly as bolts of pleasure shot right down to her core. She did it again, lazily flicking it back and forth, before taking it between her thumb and forefinger and tugging it. " _Oh,_ " she cried out. Her mind was working overtime, as she remembered how Anakin's hands felt on her body, his calloused fingers pulling on her nipples, palming her breast roughly, and she mimicked the actions as best she could, bringing her other hand into play by softly moulding her right breast.

He was watching her, mouth pursed in an 'oh', eyes wide in awe, on hand still firmly pumping his cock, and she'd never felt more sexy in her entire life. It filled her with a sense of proud satisfaction that she could make this wonderful, _irresistible_ man _**this**_ aroused. That he was touching himself because of _her._ It was a power Padme never knew she wanted, but suddenly never wanted to give up.

" _Jesus Christ,_ " he hissed. "You're so… _Angel!…_ "

" _Ani,_ " his name fell from her own lips like a prayer. "Oh, Anakin… _please._ " She was too worked up to even speak properly. Could only beg him for… for _what_ , exactly?

It must have been the same question on Anakin's mind, for he clenched his teeth and growled, "What, Angel? What do you want?"

"Just," she tipped her head so that her hair tickled her lower back, arching her breasts further into her own hands. Her hips rocked a little, desperate for some form of friction. _Oh,_ how she wanted him. Never had she craved anything as much Anakin right at this very moment. " _Please…_ Ani, just. I need to – "

"It's alright, Angel," he assured her. "I'll take care of you. Lie back for me?"

She did as she was asked, trusting him completely. He would always take care of her. There wasn't a doubt in her mind.

"Good girl," he praised her. "I can see how wet you are through your underwear, Angel. It's not enough, though." A feral grin crossed his face, his voice dripped with lust. It was intoxicating. "Take them off, Padme." This time, it was not a suggestion, but a demand, and it made her shiver. Lip clamped firmly between her teeth, she raised her hips and slid her panties off, kicking them away impatiently. She didn't care where they landed; all she could focus on was _Anakin._

He licked his lips seductively, his breathing hitched. "Open your legs for me, Angel. Let me see you."

She did, bending her knees up a little, and even though she was completely aroused, a little wave of embarrassment washed over her. It immediately disappeared at the hungry look in Anakin's eyes. " _Fuck,_ look at you," he cursed, squeezing his hand hard around his cock to maintain his control. Padme suddenly didn't care if he swore like that for the rest of his life; his voice was utter _sex._ "You're _glistening._ Is that all for me, Angel?"

All she could do was nod her head blindly. Her thoughts were completely clouded with lust.

"Touch yourself," he demanded. "Tell me how you feel."

Padme whimpered at his bold statement, letting a hand fall from her breast to trail down her stomach. She slipped lower and lower until she was running her fingertip along the lips of her sex. He was right. She _was_ wet. Her finger slid back and forth easily, dipping in a little to nudge her clit, and she kept her gaze on Anakin's, never taking her eyes off of him. His face was contorted in excitement and lust. She could see the head of his cock glistening in the pale light of his bedroom, and she was overcome by an urge to taste him.

"So… _wet,_ " she moaned, slightly incoherent in her lust. "I'm so… only for _you,_ Ani." Even though he knew. Even though it was obvious. She still felt like he needed to know that _he_ was the _only_ man who could ever make her feel this way.

" _Mine!_ ," he growled possessively, and she nodded her head. There was no denying it. She was his; only _his_ , in every way; body, mind and soul. Just as he was _hers_ , completely, solely, _eternally_.

She couldn't take it anymore, and suddenly slid two fingers inside her aching sex, eyes fluttering closed at the sensation. It was nothing compared to Anakin, but the fact that he was watching her seemed to make up for it. She'd never been so wet in her life; her hips undulated against her frantically moving fingers and all she could hear were the string of profanities leaking from Anakin's mouth as he watched her.

"Get your thumb on your clit," he told her, his words strained. "Hard, fast, circles. Just how you like it."

She cried his name, rocking her hips back and forth, as sweat beaded on her forehead and caused her hair to stick to her skin. It was clear in her mind, his head between her legs as it had been countless times, causing her such intense, white-hot pleasure, feasting on her as though she was his last meal. The memories caused her muscles to tighten, and she knew she was close, so, _so close_.

Anakin was breathing hard and fast, she could hear him through the speaker, and she opened her eyes a little to see him bucking his hips, thrusting his cock furiously into his hand. The look on his face was pure sex, and it was all she needed to arch off the bed, pressing her thumb forcefully against her clit.

"C'mon, Angel," he coaxed her, his voice heady with pleasure. "Come with me."

She didn't even need asking. No sooner had she heard him speak, her legs began to shake and she screamed, clamping a hand down on her mouth tightly so as to not wake Dorme. Anakin grunted out her name, but she hardly noticed as she fell over the edge. The pleasure was so intense that she almost blacked out for a moment, before she was slowly brought back to full consciousness. With a shudder, she let her fingers slip out of her and stretched out her legs, focussing on controlling her erratic breathing. Once she had calmed down, she sat up against her pillows and looked at Anakin.

He was exhausted; his spunk glistened on his lower belly, his eyes were shining, and there was this silly smile on his face. His entire body was slumped in his chair, lazy and pliant, and he looked so relaxed, that all she could do was smile at him. Their eyes met and locked, and they exchanged words silently, simply basking in each other, their love, and the unique experience they had just shared.

Minutes passed before either of them could find their voices. Anakin ran a hand sheepishly through his hair and gave a half-laugh. "Wow."

Padme blushed and giggled. How profound of him. "That was – " There were no words to describe what had just happened. It just simply _was._

He seemed to understand, for he grinned. "Yeah."

Gaining control of herself, she reached for her discarded panties in an attempt to regain her modesty, and threw her pyjama shirt over her head. Anakin was still naked – Padme expected he probably would be for a while. He looked too content to move from the chair, or even clean himself up. Padme crossed her legs, unable to keep the tired smile off her face.

"I love you," she told him simply.

"I love you, too."

Silence ensued between them, and Padme yawned, but she wasn't ready to say goodbye to him. Not just yet. Not _ever,_ if she was being completely honest. The hardest part of their conversations – no, their entire _relationship_ , was saying goodbye. Of course, it was always coupled with an ' _I love you'_ , and an assurance of ' _soon'_ , but it still left Padme feeling incredibly lonely.

Anakin yawned and rubbed his eyes. "I should probably let you go," he muttered reluctantly. When she only pouted at him, he laughed. "Should I remind you that it's almost three-thirty in the morning? We've been talking for an hour. You were pretty mad about that before."

A smirk played at the corners of her lips. "Yes, but… that was before…" _Before incredible Skype sex,_ she thought playfully.

Reading her thoughts, Anakin flashed her a sly smile. "Oh, don't you worry, Angel. There will be _plenty_ more where _that_ came from. Trust me." He rolled his neck, letting the joints crack and hiss, stretching his arms above his head, before meeting her gaze. The affection there caught her off guard a little. It amazed her how he could go from sly and lusty to adoring and bashful in the space of a second. " _Hopefully_ , there'll be a chance for the real thing, soon, too."

Even though it was an uncertainty, Padme couldn't bring herself to destroy his hope. "Of course, Ani. I promise. _Soon._ "

Satisfied with her answer, he yawned again and then pulled his laptop closer to him, so that she could only see his face.

"Goodnight, my Angel," he said softly. " _See you soon_."

Tears filled her eyes at the affection in his voice. " _See you soon_ ," she repeated, as she reached out and lightly stroked the visage of his face with her fingers across the screen..

Then, in typical Anakin fashion, he gave her a wink and pressed his lips to the screen in a kiss, before he was gone.


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N: I'm so excited! You know why? Because I'm back and going to be fully committed to this story for at least 3-4 chapters. That's a promise! I've got so much planned and I can't wait for you guys to read it! Thank you for being so patient with me. I hope you enjoy this little chapter – I just really wanted a Dorme and Padme centric chapter, because I feel like they need some girl time.**_

 _ **And… Then… You'll see :D**_

* * *

It had been two years since the last time Padme had been in a relationship on Valentine's Day. So, it was terribly ironic, that now that she was in a relationship with Anakin and _completely_ besotted with him, they were _apart_ on such an important day.

Well, really, it wasn't _that_ important, but to Padme, it was. Being single on Valentine's Day, especially at college, was absolutely _awful._ Everywhere was decorated red and pink and covered in hearts and cupids and flowers, and the entire campus was suddenly swarming with _couples_ acting all _lovey-dovey,_ and it had been enough to make Padme _sick_. She'd been rather cynical about it over the years, refusing to leave the house because she just couldn't _bear_ being swamped by such grotesque displays of affection, and so, she and Dorme would order a pizza, drink wine, and watch action movies in their apartment. It became their own Valentine's tradition, as if they were thumbing their noses at the romantic hoopla all around them.

But, now? Now, everything was different. Now, she had _Anakin._ Now, despite her previous cynicism, she _wanted_ to go and do grotesquely affectionate things with him – buy each other chocolates and flowers, go out for a romantic dinner or take a slow walk hand-in-hand in the park, watch a soppy romance movie while curled up together in bed and then make passionate love all evening. She _wanted_ to spoil him and be spoiled in return. Only, he was in Chicago, so _any_ chance of such things was absolutely impossible.

It was cruelly unfair.

She woke early that morning and immediately reached over to check her phone. No messages. The knowledge made her frown sadly, but she soon shook her head, appalled at herself. What had she expected? It was 5 am in the morning in Chicago. Anakin would probably still be asleep – honestly, he could sleep until midday. She knew that fact _very_ well. Of _course,_ he hadn't tried contacting her yet. Yawning, she rubbed her eyes and sent him a quick message before going to have a shower: **Good morning, Ani. Happy Valentine's Day. Call me when you can. Love you xx.**

Dorme was already in the kitchen when she got out of the shower and headed out for breakfast, looking _extremely_ pleased about something. Which was a puzzle in itself, because the _only_ thing Dorme ever looked before 10 am was disgruntled. Or hungover.

 _Something_ was certainly up.

"Morning!" She greeted Padme cheerfully and promptly set a plate of poached eggs, bacon, toast, sautéed mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and spinach before her. The delicious aroma made Padme's stomach growl in appreciation, and it was only then that she realised just _how_ hungry she was.

 _Still_ , as delighted as she was by the idea that her roommate had made her breakfast, she eyed it suspiciously. Yes, something was most _definitely_ up. Dorme, though the primary cook in the household, never, _ever_ went out of her way to make a breakfast like _**this**_ on a _weekday_ , and _especially_ not for Padme.

What was going _on_?

"Morning…?" Her voice drifted off in a questioning tone as she set about putting the kettle on for some English Breakfast tea to go with breakfast.

"What?" Dorme asked, immediately going on the defensive, though there was a little tremor of impatience in her voice that Padme knew _all_ too well. There was something she wanted to say, even though she was trying _not_ to make a big deal of it.

Padme rolled her eyes, amused. She'd known Dorme for _far_ too long to know when something was up. "Okay. Why are _you_ so happy this morning?"

Suddenly flustered, Dorme shifted her gaze towards her own mug of coffee and tucked a lock of brown hair behind her ear. "What do you mean?"

With a smirk, Padme shook her head, poured her tea, and returned to her seat at the counter. Of _course_ , Dorme was going to drag this out for as long as possible. It was always the case. Sometimes, Padme couldn't help but notice how _similar_ Dorme and Anakin were – both so melodramatic. "You made me breakfast," she pointed out wryly, as though that explained everything.

Dorme flashed her a frown. "So? I'm not allowed to make my best friend, whom I love dearly, breakfast in the morning?"

"Of course, you are," Padme rolled her eyes. "But, don't give _me_ that crap. You _only_ make me breakfast like this when you're _really_ happy about something. Did you sleep with someone last night?" she asked, fed up with dancing around the subject, and instead, getting straight to the point.

Her roommate's brown eyes widened in horror, and she almost spat out her coffee. "W-what?! _No!_ You _know_ I didn't…"

"Then what is it? Come on. Spill."

She sighed and then swivelled around on her barstool to face Padme, pulling her left leg up, so that her right leg hung toward the floor. "Okay, _fine_. You know Trey, right?"

Nodding her head, Padme grinned slyly over her tea and then popped a mushroom in her mouth impishly. "Your…what do you call him… _Fuck_ _buddy_?" Yes, she knew Trey quite well. He and Dorme had a rather _unconventional_ relationship that had been going on for almost a year now. Whenever either of them were feeling lonely, they'd call each other and meet up and have sex.

Padme had been the unfortunate witness to some of their more _brazen_ _escapades_ , not that _she_ could really complain too much, when, on the flip side, Dorme often had to listen to her… _intimate reunions_ with Anakin when he came to visit.

Despite what she insisted otherwise, Padme knew that Dorme was absolutely smitten with Trey, but kept her feelings to herself for the sake of their… _friendship?_ It was a difficult situation to be in, and Padme didn't envy her one bit. At least she _knew,_ withouta doubt _,_ how Anakin felt about _her_.

Dorme scowled. "Yes. _Thank you_ , Padme."

"Your words, not mine," Padme reminded her sardonically, quirking an eyebrow. "Anyway, what about him?"

"He…" She broke off, a fierce blush decorating her cheeks, and Padme leaned closer in her chair, suddenly eager to find out what exactly _had_ happened. "He's asked me…Well...we're going out to dinner tonight."

Padme blinked in surprise. She _hadn_ ' _t_ expected that. If anything, she truthfully thought that her best friend deserved better than some guy who only thought she was a piece of ass to use at his own pleasure, but from the way Dorme was blushing and how her eyes were wide and sparkling, waiting on Padme's approval, she quickly rearranged her features into a pleasant smile. "That's wonderful, Dorme," she said, truly happy for her friend. "It's about time he saw you for the _amazing_ woman you truly are." Padme reached over and patted Dorme's hand.

Dorme smiled sheepishly, nodding her head and traced her finger around the rim of her mug. "Do you think he wants to be exclusive? I mean, it's Valentine's Day. You don't take a girl out for dinner on Valentine's Day unless you want something serious, right?" Her voice was soft, timid, dripping with uncertainty, and all Padme could do was reach out again and grasp her hand this time, giving it an affectionate squeeze.

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "But, it's definitely a positive sign."

Her reassurance, regardless of how unsure, seemed to be enough for Dorme, and she shifted in her seat, sitting up a bit straighter and a large grin broke out on her face. "Yeah," she said, nodding her head, confidence returning. "It is, isn't it? But, this means we won't be able to have our usual date with pizza, wine and _Captain_ _America_ ," she smirked.

Laughing, Padme shook her head. "I wouldn't be able to make it anyway," she explained with a sigh. "I've got that function with my professor tonight. You know, that _Women in Politics_ thing I was telling you about. There's going to be guest speakers and future possible employers there…So, the good Captain will just have to wait," she said with a dramatic sigh, making Dorme burst out laughing. It was a tradition of theirs, watching _Captain_ _America_ – partially because it was a great movie and Dorme had a _massive_ love for superheroes, and partially because of Chris Evans. Padme grinned wickedly at the thought. Anakin might have a _thing_ for Claire Danes, at least in _Romeo and Juliet_ – but, Padme definitely had a _thing_ for super hot, blonde-haired, blue-eyed men.

"That's a little rich, putting something that important on Valentine's Day," Dorme mused, furrowing her eyebrows. "I mean, what if you had plans?"

"It was originally going to be Tuesday, but they had to postpone it. I forget why. Anyway, today was the only available day, or something." Padme responded with a shrug. "Besides, I don't have any plans, do I?" There was a hint of bitterness in her voice that Dorme didn't fail to pick up.

She flashed Padme a sympathetic smile. "Have you heard from your _lover boy_ yet?"

"No," Padme shook her head, miserably, and continued eating her breakfast. "I sent him a text, but he hasn't replied yet."

This time, it was Dorme who was doing the consoling, and she squeezed Padme's shoulder affectionately. "Don't worry," she insisted with an optimistic smile. "I'm _sure_ he's just asleep. Or busy. You know how much Anakin adores you. I wouldn't be surprised if he even had flowers delivered here."

The thought perked her up and made Padme smile. Yes, that sounded _exactly_ like something Anakin would do. He _was_ ridiculously affectionate with her, far more so then she was with him, and it definitely wouldn't be out of character. She'd just have to be patient and wait to hear from him.

With a smile, she nodded and took another sip of her tea. "Yeah, I know. I'm just being silly."

Dorme smirked and patting her hand. "Well, yeah, but it's natural," she assured her. "You just miss him."

It was always amazing how Dorme seemed to know _exactly_ how she was feeling without Padme having to say a single word. Padme gave a sad sigh and drank her tea, not wanting to dwell on just how _much_ she missed Anakin. It was a constant ache, and it would only make her sad. Of course, their conversations were still very frequent, but it was now almost 2 months since they'd last seen each other over winter break, and it was taking _all_ of Padme's strength to remain optimistic. Their longest separation to date. She tried not to let on how much it was killing her, but her best friend could see right through her brave face.

"I don't know how you do it, to be honest," Dorme continued quietly, sensing that Padme didn't feel like reciprocating conversation. "I mean, when I don't see Trey for a few weeks, I get all pent up and so frustrated, and then we attack each other like _animals_ the next time we're together _._ " A smirk played at her lips, and she raised her eyebrows at Padme. "I can't even _imagine_ what it must be like for you."

Laughing at her friend's bluntness, Padme grinned slyly over the rim of her mug. "It's not like we don't… I mean… there's the _phone_ and… well… _Skype_ …" her voice trailed off and a fierce blush heated her cheeks at the memory of the _last_ time she and Anakin had participated in such… _conversations._ After their first time, she'd gotten more confident and far less timid, even opening up and _talking_ , which had elicited very, _very_ pleased reactions from Anakin. A nervous giggle slipped past her lips and she glanced at Dorme, who looked just as embarrassed as _she_ felt.

Clearing her throat, Dorme looked away, biting her lip. "Yes… er, I know how well you make use of… _that._ "

Padme blanched. "Oh… _god…_ " Dorme could hear _that?!_ Hear _them?!_ She thought she'd been quiet. She'd definitely _tried_ to be. Of course, it was always difficult to remember to do so when Anakin was so… well, _Anakin_ – bold and brazen and sexy.

Dorme chuckled sheepishly, toying with the ends of her hair. "Yeah… I heard it… _everything._ " Then, with a smirk, she added, "I never thought I'd hear such words from _you_ , Padme. I mean, Anakin, sure, but _you?_ He's turned you into _quite_ the little vixen, I must say."

If possible, her cheeks flushed even darker, and she hit her friend on the arm. "Oh, shut up! You can't talk! I've walked in on you and Trey in some rather _compromising_ positions before, so don't you judge me."

Raising her hands in surrender, Dorme grinned impishly at her. "Not judging. I'm proud, actually," she puffed up a little, like a clucky mother that only made Padme roll her eyes. "Just…let me know next time Anakin comes to visit, so that I can be sure to... _vacate_ _the_ _premises_. I mean, if you two are _that_ vocal on Skype, I do _not_ want to be around for the real thing!"

With a sly grin, Padme merely hummed, her mind automatically recalling the _last_ time they'd reunited after a month apart. Anakin had been… _wild_ – unlike anything she'd ever seen before and the memory, even the _thought_ of how painfully delicious his lovemaking had been caused her to squirm in her seat.

Deciding that she needed to change the subject before she had to resort to a cold shower, she put her mug down and took a bite of her toast. "So, where is Trey taking you tonight?"

Dorme bit her lip, her fingers tapping idly against her drawn up knee as she rested her chin against it. "I don't know…He didn't tell me."

"Ooooh a surprise! How exciting!" Padme beamed at her. In her limited dating experience (a total of three boyfriends in her entire 24 years), going on a surprise date was always fun. It usually involved dinner and some sort of activity; be it bowling, or mini golf or even just a movie, it was always nice to have someone plan something for you.

Unfortunately, her roommate was decidedly less enthusiastic about the idea. "I really wish it wasn't," she complained with a huff. "I don't know what I'm supposed to wear! What if we're outside? Will I need a coat? Or will a jacket be enough? Should I wear heels? Or flats? Or boots? Jeans or a dress? What if I do my hair all nice and then we eat by the river and it's really windy? What if we…" Her list of _what ifs_ went on and on until Padme had had enough and stopped her with a hand on her knee.

"Dorme. _Relax._ It's just a date. Stop overthinking. Besides," she quirked her lips into a smirk, "he's already seen you naked, so it's not like you have anything to hide."

Groaning, Dorme made a face that expressed how unimpressed she was. "That's _not_ the point! Normally, when Trey and I get together, it's sweatpants and messy hair and no makeup, because we're not in our clothes very long so it doesn't matter. But _this…_ " she cried, clearly distraught. "I want to look good, you know? I want him to see a different side to me." She sighed and sipped her coffee, before regarding Padme curiously, tipping her head to the side. "What did you and Anakin do on your first date?"

The question took Padme by surprise. First date? She didn't ever recall actually _going_ on a first date. Their relationship had basically started the night they confessed their feelings to each other and slept together for the first time. There wasn't any _dating_ , at least, not in the formal sense of the word. They had _hung out_ over the summer break, but it hadn't been anything fancy.

"I don't know…" She replied with a frown. "Ani and I didn't really _date._ We just sort of…Got together. Kinda like high-school, I guess." She chuckled a little at the memory of their beginnings, over the summer, when they'd both been _so_ into each other and yet so stubborn in actually admitting it. If only they'd confessed their feelings sooner, they could have spent most of the summer exploring their relationship, exploring _each other_ , making the most of their time together before they had to go off to college again. With a nostalgic smile, she shook her head. It seemed like so long ago that Padme had been reunited with Anakin again that summer, watching him from her window as he worked on his motorbike. She wished she could go back to that moment, when it had felt like they had all the time in the world to be together.

"Wait, you _never_ went on a date?" Dorme asked, slightly incredulous.

Shrugging, Padme shook her head. "Not really. We saw each other almost every day, but it was never an official date. I didn't even wear makeup most of the time, and we hardly ever left each other's houses." She paused as she tried to remember everything that had happened that summer. "I suppose our first _date_ was his mother's wedding. He asked me to go with him, and he'd been so adorable and nervous about it," she beamed at the memory. "But…That's _totally_ different. That's a _wedding._ The dress code is a lot more formal."

"Hmmm," Dorme nodded her head and closed her eyes for a bit, leaving Padme to her reminiscing. She _missed_ that summer. Everything about it – from watching Anakin in his garage, to going to the lake and kayaking together, to lazing about her room watching T.V. It had been so _easy_ back then. Once gradation was over, Padme hoped that they could go back to that simpler time, just doing _life_ together. The thought instantly brightened her mood.

"What if I wear my new jeans – the tight black ones, and my boots?" Dorme mused suddenly, eyes widening. "And then a nice top and my jacket and a scarf? I could do my hair in waves and leave it out with my beanie. That'd be nice, right? Casual but nice?"

Padme nodded with a smile. "That sounds _perfect_. Though, you know, you could probably rock up in sweatpants and still look hot." It was true. Her best friend was about 5 inches taller than Padme and had far longer legs. Her chest was considerably bigger as well. She was one of those people who could rock messy buns and yoga pants and baggy t-shirts and look like a supermodel. It drove Padme to distraction.

Dorme just rolled her eyes. "Alright. Outfit sorted. What time do you have classes today? Wanna go shopping? I need some new lingerie. Trey's seen everything I own."

With a bemused smirk, Padme just shook her head. She'd been on one of those shopping trips with her best friend before, and it had certainly been an... _eye_ _opener_. Some of the things in those shops definitely didn't look comfortable. But, then again, some of that stuff wasn't meant to be worn long enough to be _comfortable_.

"As tempting as that sounds, I can't," Padme sighed. " I've got class at 9 – a three hour lecture, then a two hour lunch break, then another two classes after that. And, then my function this evening. Full schedule today."

"Well, _damn_ ," Dorme frowned. "I guess I'll just have to go on my own then. Three hour lecture?! Ouch! That's rough!"

"It's definitely _not_ my favourite class," Padme conceded. "I mean, I love _all_ my classes, but three hours is a really long time." Her eyes drifted over to the microwave, and she saw that it was already 8 o'clock. " _Shit_. I need to get ready!" She had class in an hour. Quickly finishing her breakfast, she hurriedly washed up her dishes and went into her bedroom to get dressed.

Though it _was_ winter, the weather in Boston had been exceptionally colder of late, and there was still snow on the ground from the _last_ storm they'd had 2 weeks ago, and so Padme dressed accordingly, in her light-wash jeans, her thick burgundy sweater, pastel scarf and her long black boots. Her curls were messy from her sleep, so she pulled her hair into a loose, thick braid that rested over her shoulder, to keep it out of her face and yet still look presentable. She plopped her cream beanie on top of her head, and then she packed her satchel with her laptop, textbooks, and grabbed her purse, before heading into the kitchen to grab her keep cup – Dorme had given it to her last year for Christmas, and it was perfect for her takeaway vanilla lattes she bought religiously from the coffee cart next to the library.

"Have you seen my house keys?" She called to Dorme, who was in the bathroom, as she searched the countertop. She couldn't for the life of her remember _where_ she'd put them yesterday when she'd gotten home from class. It was just her luck that she'd put them in one of her 'safe spots', which pretty much guaranteed that she'd _never_ find them. Perfect. Just perfect.

"No!" Came Dorme's muffled response, which only made Padme groan.

Just as she began to open the cutlery draw, she heard a knock on the door. With a confused frown, she sceptically made her way over to the front door. Who was _that?_ At 8:30 in the morning?! She wasn't expecting anyone…Unless it was Trey, maybe? Padme sighed…This was certainly an _early_ booty call, even for Dorme. Surely, even _she_ could wait until they saw each other that night.

"She's in the bathroom," Padme said as she jerked open the door, not even really looking at the person in the doorway and turned to go back into the kitchen, when a _very_ familiar and _amused_ voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

"That's _not_ a very nice way to greet your boyfriend, Angel."


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N: Told you I'd update quick, right? Told you I'd be committed. Didn't I? HLP, making good on promises yet again *pats self on back***_

 _ **I'm interested as to what people think of this chapter. A few have already pointed out a slight problem **_**_with Anakin's sudden appearance... Nothing is ever smooth sailing for my two babies. I like making things difficult and watching them overcome the obstacles and grow together, don't you?_**

 ** _My beta thinks I'm a Sith with all my cliffies. But they're good, right? Sorry, not sorry, about the last one :D Enjoy xx_**

* * *

She froze, eyes growing wide. That _voice._ No…it couldn't be. At first, Padme was too scared to turn around, afraid that her ears were playing tricks on her, and she was _too_ fragile to be let down like that right now. It wouldn't be the first time.

Swallowing her irrational fears, she slowly turned on her heel, her eyes trailing up from the canvas shoes, the long legs covered by dark denim, the woollen navy sweater that stretched across the broad chest, the light grey knit scarf slung round his neck, until she reached the face of the man in the doorway. Instantly, her gaze was captured by the beautiful, achingly familiar blue of the eyes that she loved so much.

 _Anakin._

There he was. Firm. Solid. _Real._ In all his adorable gorgeousness. Padme was too stunned to speak, her eyes hungrily drinking in every inch of him. It had been so long, _so terribly long_ since she'd seen him, and all she could do was _stare._ He was smiling at her, a teasing, smug sort of smile that lit up his eyes. A dark grey duffle bag was slung over his shoulder, and in his hand was a large bouquet of bright, yellow sunflowers. _Her_ favourites. The sight made her beam up at him, eyes growing moist at the sight.

 _Anakin_ _was_ _here._

"Ani…?" she said in a small voice, as though she still couldn't believe what she was seeing, as though, if she blinked, he'd disappear again.

He grinned impishly at her and flashed her a wink. "So, she _does_ speak."

Padme ran to him and threw herself into his arms, crashing her body against his so forcefully that Anakin stumbled as his arms came around her waist, lifting her up off the ground. Her arms constricted around his neck, and she buried her face into his chest, tears raining against the soft, thick wool of his sweater. She inhaled him deeply, getting lost in his _scent_ , in the _feel_ of his body against hers, of his strong arms wrapped tightly around her waist. It was like nothing else in the world. That feeling of _coming home_ surged through her so powerfully that all she could do was sob in blind euphoria. Padme didn't think she'd _ever_ felt so happy than how she was feeling at that moment.

They remained in that close embrace for several minutes, and Padme _never_ wanted to relinquish her hold on him. Now that he was here, she wasn't about to let him go. Anakin gently lowered her back to the ground and nuzzled into her neck, inhaling her scent, pulling her body even closer to his. He pressed a line of soft kisses there, making his sweet way up her neck, before he pulled away just enough to smooth his lips over her cheeks, her forehead, her nose. Padme curled her fingers up into his hair and laughed softly, unable to keep the mad grin off her face.

 _"Padme,_ " he muttered reverently, bending to press his forehead against hers. "I've _missed_ you, Angel. So, _so_ much." His blue gaze pierced her soul as he skimmed his nose along hers. Exhaling deeply, he breathed warm air over her mouth, and she parted her lips instinctively, as though trying to absorb him. Time stood still. She really, _really_ wanted to kiss him, but she also didn't want to stop looking at him. It was the most beautifully difficult situation to be in. How could she choose?

Instead, she brought her hands out from his hair to cup his cheeks affectionately, smiling at the feel of his smooth, firm skin under her touch. "You're _here_ ," she whispered with giddy affection. Her fingers mapped the hard line of his jaw and the ridges of his cheekbones, as if reiterating her statement. Anakin was _here!_ In _Boston_. In her _arms._ It was too good to be true.

Anakin chuckled quietly, running his hands up and down her sides. "Of course," he told her simply. "It's Valentine's Day."

A sob burst out of her, and she desperately sought out his lips, kissing him almost _painfully_ in her eagerness to taste him, to feel his mouth on hers once again. She was unable to stop the moan that escaped her from the contact, as she gripped his face tightly in her hands and pressed herself against him as though she couldn't get close enough to him. Anakin smiled against her mouth as he returned her kiss with mirrored passion, one of his hands sliding up from her hips, along her spine, to cup the back of her head, tilting her up to further delve into her mouth. His lips were chapped and slightly rough from the cold weather, but Padme didn't care at all, because they were _Anakin's_ lips, and she was kissing him again, and it was the _greatest_ feeling in the world.

" _I love you,_ " she muttered when they broke away, their lips mere millimetres apart as though it was impossible to have a further distance between them. "I love you, and I missed you and – oh, _Anakin_. _I_ _love you_." She kissed him again, and again, unable to stop herself. She couldn't get enough. The _taste_ of him, after being apart for so long, was driving her wild, and she wanted nothing more than to remain fixed to his lips forever. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else _existed._ For the time being, it was just _them,_ her and Anakin, as the rest of the world disappeared behind her closed lids.

Their blissful reunion was interrupted by poor Dorme, who had unfortunately exited the bathroom to find the couple embracing in the doorway.

"Okay, get a room before this becomes awkward," she quipped dryly, and Padme pulled away at the sudden voice, startled and embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed, and she bit her lip as she turned to face her roommate, but Anakin kept his arms around her, having no intention of moving.

"Nice to see you, Dorme," he smirked, giving her a wink. "Might just take you up on that advice."

Padme hit him softly in the chest, scolding him playfully and shook her head whilst Dorme groaned uncomfortably. "Ugh, I'm leaving. You two lovebirds have _fun_. Try not to break the bed."

If possible, Padme blushed even deeper, cheeks going red, and she buried her head in Anakin's chest as Dorme forced her way past them. Once she was gone, Anakin took a step inside, Padme with him, and shut the door. It was then that he finally released her from his tight embrace and shrugged his duffle bag off his shoulder. It fell to the floor with a dull thud. A massive grin broke out on his face, a smile so raw and beautiful that it made Padme smile back at him, full of affection, as he thrust his arm out towards her, holding the bouquet of sunflowers.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Angel," he said happily.

Padme took the bouquet from him and clutched it tightly to her chest, beaming uncontrollably. He was so charmingly _sweet_ , so thoughtful. It was amazing how he managed to make her fall deeper in love with him every time they were together.

"Anakin, they're beautiful. Thank you," she replied, voice thick with emotion. She headed into the kitchen to find a vase to put her flowers in. "I feel terrible. I didn't get you anything." His arrival was a complete surprise, she hadn't been expecting to see him, let alone buy him a gift.

Chuckling, Anakin followed her and moved up behind her, his arms coming around her again as he pressed his body tightly against hers. "That's okay," he assured her in a low husky voice, nipping seductively at her earlobe and sucking gently, making her shudder. "I can think of _something_ you can give me." His voice was dripping with intent, and there was no denying what he was insinuating. Her body reacted to him immediately, as his hands traced soothing circles over her belly, sliding underneath the hem of her sweater to assault her skin with his hot touch.

It was tempting. Oh, it was so _very_ tempting. _But_ , despite how much she wanted it, wanted _him,_ she untangled herself from him and turned around, placing the vase on the windowsill. "Ani…" she began to protest but he silenced her with a quick kiss, swallowing her words.

"Let's do something," he insisted, keeping his hands on her hips. "I want to spend the entire day with you. Whatever you want. I don't mind."

The offer made her smile sadly. "I'd love to, Ani, but I can't. I've got classes all day today."

Anakin shrugged nonchalantly. "So? Skip them."

"I can't," she frowned, annoyed that he could even suggest such a thing. He knew she was in her final semester. He _knew_ how busy she was – it was mainly the reason they had been apart for so long. "They're important."

"More important than _me_?" Anakin pouted at her, childishly.

Padme rolled her eyes at him. Not _this_ again. He was so melodramatic sometimes, and it could be both endearing _and_ frustrating all at once. "Don't start this again, Anakin. You _know_ how busy I am right now. I can't afford to skip classes."

He only frowned, eyebrows furrowed in irritation, and he crossed his arms over his chest, adopting a more defensive stance. "I flew here from Chicago at some ridiculous hour of the morning to surprise you, Padme. God forbid you'd actually want to spend time with _me_."

Groaning, she pressed her fingers to her temple. Why did he have to be like this? "It's not a matter of wanting, Ani. I'm _so_ glad to see you, _really_ , I am. You have _no_ _idea_. But…" she paused and sighed. "I can't skip class. Not now. They're too important to miss this close to graduation."

Anakin huffed sullenly, staring down at the ground and tapping his shoe idly against the floor. "I skipped classes for you," he muttered under his breath.

"Anakin!" Padme cried out in exasperation. She couldn't _believe_ he was doing this right now. She didn't want to argue with him – she didn't even have _time_ to be standing here, having this conversation. She needed to head off to class. "I didn't _ask_ you to do that. I didn't _ask_ you to come here. That's completely different!"

"Well, I'm _here_ , aren't I?" he retorted angrily, gesturing around rather dramatically. "I came here because I _love_ you and _miss_ you. Because I thought you'd _want_ to see me. But, obviously, I was wrong."

"Oh, _please,_ Ani," she shook her head in disbelief. "Stop being so melodramatic."

" _Fine_ ," he resigned in reluctant defeat. "If you're _so busy_ , then I guess we'll have to do something tonight instead."

Happy that he had finally accepted how important her classes were, Padme smiled, about to reply when she was hit with a pang of disappointment.

 _Her function._ It was tonight. _Damn._

Normally, that wouldn't be a problem, because Faculty Balls were a common thing, and everyone was permitted to bring a partner. But, _this_ event was a _Women in Politics_ function. Strictly women only. No males. No partners. Only women. Sighing deeply, Padme realised that it was, actually, _the worst possible timing_. Anakin had turned up in the sweetest of romantic gestures, and she couldn't even spend time with him.

It was horribly unfair.

And, what was worse, she had to _explain_ that to him. When he was already reacting badly to her not wanting to skip classes.

 _Great,_ she thought to herself. _Just perfect._

Taking a deep breath, she met his gaze firmly, determined not to waver and spoke. "Anakin… I'm busy tonight. I've got a… _function..._ to go to _._ "

He narrowed his eyes at her, eyebrow twitching dangerously, and Padme prepared herself for his explosive reaction. "What kind of _function_?" He demanded.

"My _Women in Politics_ dinner," she explained as kindly as she could. "It was meant to be on Tuesday, but they postponed it till today." Padme bit her lip, waiting for his response.

Anakin paused and chewed on the inside of his cheek, pensive and a lot calmer than Padme had anticipated. He shrugged. "Well, I'll go with you then. I'll be your date."

"Well…" She began, feeling sick in her stomach at having to disappoint him like this. He'd done _all_ this for her, and she couldn't even give him what he wanted – what _she_ also wanted. "That's really _sweet_ of you, Ani, but...see, the thing is, well… It's an all female event. No dates allowed. So… uh, I _can_ ' _t_ bring you."

The silence was almost deafening as Anakin stared at her with wide eyes, blinking slowly as he absorbed what she was telling him. She shrunk under his gaze, feeling like the _worst_ girlfriend in the world. Was she? Most girls would gladly forgo their plans to spend Valentine's Day with their significant others. Did it make Padme a bad person that she prioritised her degree, her _career_ over spending time with Anakin? A snide voice in the back of head said, _yes,_ but she ignored it. No. She wasn't a bad person. It was just bad timing. An unfortunate situation. But, it was only until the end of the semester. She'd promised Anakin that it would be different, _better_ once she had leapt over the hurdle that was her graduation. It wasn't fair of him to expect anything more of her right now.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

She winced at his curse, the soft tone of his voice sharp and dangerous, like the edge of a steel knife. He was hurt. She could see it in his eyes. Biting her quivering bottom lip, she placed her hand gently on his forearm, trying to soothe him with her touch. "I'm sorry, Ani," she informed him, completely sincere, and trailed her hand up his arm to cup his cheek. "I feel _awful._ "

He exhaled deeply, eyes fluttering closed for a moment, before he opened them again. They were a pale shade of blue, almost cold. She didn't like it. "Let me guess. You can't skip that, either?" He asked, icily.

She shook her head. "No," she muttered miserably. "It's a chance for me to meet people in the field. Future possible employers will be there, and _heaps_ of important contacts." She blinked up at him, trying to express how much this meant to her, wanting him to understand. "I could land a job after graduation from this function. I _can't_ miss it."

He scowled and flicked his eyes to the ground, and Padme knew better than to press him. "Typical," he snorted rudely. "There's always _something_ , Padme. You're always _too_ busy."

He was mocking her, and she glared at him in anger. He was being entirely unfair. It wasn't _her_ fault that he was here, when she had such a busy hectic schedule. And yet, he was trying to make her feel guilty about it. It wasn't right. And, she _wasn_ ' _t_ going to stand for this.

"You're not being fair, Anakin," she scolded him, crossing her arms over her chest and standing up a little taller. "There's a reason I haven't been able to see you since I've been back. I _am_ busy. I'm _not_ making this up. Unlike you, I am almost graduated. I have things to prepare for – interviews, job applications, business functions, not to mention _all_ of my assignments. It's _not fair_ for you to just turn up here, unexpected, and _demand_ me to stop everything in my life to spend time with you."

"So, you _don't_ want to spend time with me." he huffed, glaring at her pointedly.

She pressed two fingers to her forehead. He really _was_ acting like a child. It was times like this when Padme was fully aware of the age difference between them; she was twenty-four, almost twenty-five, and yet Anakin had barely turned twenty. "That's _not_ what I'm saying. If you had _told_ me you were planning this, I would have been able to tell you about this function. I mean, Anakin, it's a _Thursday_! You could have come on the weekend!"

Anakin ran a hand through his hair, suddenly sheepish. "I just…I just wanted to surprise you," he muttered sadly, and his sudden innocence softened Padme's frustration.

Stepping closer to him, she curled her arms around his waist and smiled up at him. "I know," she whispered and stretched up on her toes to kiss him quickly. "It's _very_ sweet of you, Ani. Really. You don't know _how_ much it means to me that you're here right now."

His fingers reached out and stroked her cheek tenderly. "It's all pointless though. I won't even get to see you."

Suddenly, an idea hit her, and she grinned slyly up at him. "Well," she began, and Anakin lifted an eyebrow at the change in her voice. "You could always come to my classes with me. They don't check attendance. No one would know."

Anakin stared at her like she'd gone crazy. " _Why_ would I want to go to one of your classes?" he asked, clearly confused. "I mean, no offense or anything, but I have _no_ interest in politics. _Whatsoever._ I wouldn't even understand what's going on."

Padme gasped, feigning insult. "I thought you said you wanted to spend time with me!" She grinned cheekily.

"Well, _yeah,_ " Anakin rolled his eyes at her. "But, I was meaning something a little more… _Fun_? I'd be bored out of my mind in your politics class. It'd be like if you came to one of my math classes."

She stepped even closer, pressing her breasts against his chest and winked at him, causing his eyes to darken the way she loved. "I could make it worth your while," she drawled suggestively, eyeing the way his Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed.

"I'm listening."

Grinning at her victory, she slowly waved her hand over the rise of his buttocks, before slipping her hand into the back pocket of his jeans, grabbing a rough handful of his firm backside and pulling him into her. "Well, you see, Mr Skywalker. I have a two hour lunch break after my first class. There's a _lot_ that can be _achieved_ in two hours, don't you think?"

Anakin smirked darkly, eyelids hooded, pulling her up by her hips so she was pressed flush against him. "Miss Naberrie, are you bribing me with sex?"

"Maybe…Is it working?" She purred.

The grin he flashed her was practically wolfish, before he claimed her mouth, kissing her roughly, and she melted into it. "So, what time is your class?" He asked her when they pulled apart, suddenly a lot more enthusiastic for her idea.

She twirled in his arms to see the time that flashed on the microwave. "In fifteen minutes. We'd better go."

Stepping out of his arms, she opened the cutlery drawer and found her missing house keys, before taking Anakin's hand and tugging him towards the door.

"I hope you understand what I'm doing for you," he teased, as she locked the door. "I expect to be _rewarded_ , Angel."

She whirled around, a feral grin on her face and laughed. "Oh, don't you worry, Ani. I plan on rewarding you very, _very_ thoroughly."

They walked, hand in hand, through the snow-trodden campus and for the first time in two years, Padme was actually _glad_ to leave the house on Valentine's Day. It filled her with a sense of pride to be able to show Anakin off like this, letting everyone know that _he_ was hers, and she _was_ the luckiest girl in the entire world.

Unfortunately, by the time she got to class, it was too late for her to grab a takeaway coffee, and so she had to settle for waiting until her class was finished. As she filed inside the small auditorium, a rush of strawberry blonde hair raced up to her, giggling excitedly.

"Padme!"

Once her eyes had focused on the sudden appearance, she saw it was her friend Teckla standing before her, bouncing on her toes, her bright green eyes flicking back and forth between her and Anakin. Padme smiled at her friend; she'd met Teckla when she'd been a freshman last year. Although only twenty-one, Teckla was tackling some advanced classes in political science and had gravitated towards Padme, seeing as she was one of the top students.

She was a pretty thing, small and slim, with a kind, oval face, freckles over her nose and cheeks and long strawberry blonde hair that fell straight to her mid back. Her sweet, excitable nature had drawn Padme in from the start, and they'd soon become fast friends. Teckla was one of those people it was simply impossible to be unhappy around – she oozed happiness from every pore of her peaches and cream skin.

"Hey, Teckla!" she greeted her friend. When the girl continued to stare blatantly at Anakin with a look crossed between intrigue and awe, Padme chuckled and squeezed his hand. "This is Anakin. Ani, this is Teckla. She's my little protegé."

Teckla beamed and took Anakin's hand, shaking it with ardour. " _Ohmygosh,_ it's so wonderful to _finally_ meet you!" she gushed, and Padme watched the interaction with a smile, as Anakin grew accustomed to such eager attention. It was a far cry from the sarcastic relationship he shared with Dorme, yet he grinned down at the exuberant girl anyway. "Padme's told me _all_ about you. I feel like we're friends already!"

Anakin chuckled good-naturedly. "All good things, I hope," he snuck a side glance at Padme, who smirked and mouthed, _Never,_ earning her a wink _._

"And, you flew all the way _here_ ," Teckla continued, her eyes growing wide and almost moist at the thought. "That's _so_ _sweet_! Padme, you lucky girl! I wish my Tommy could come home…" her voice trailed off sadly, and Padme gave her a sympathetic smile. Teckla's boyfriend was in the US Navy, and he had been away at sea for six months now. They'd been high-school sweethearts and were possibly the most adorable couple Padme had _ever_ seen; whenever he was on leave, he'd fly straight back to Boston, and she'd met him several times. He seemed like a nice guy, and he was very affectionate with Teckla. Padme never, _ever_ , complained to Teckla about how much she missed Anakin when they were apart, because she knew, no matter how much it was killing her to be apart from Ani, her poor friend had it _much_ worse.

Padme reached out and squeezed her hand affectionately. "Hey, it won't be long now," she assured her. "Three weeks, right?"

Nodding her head, Teckla sniffled, then flashed her a brilliant smile. "Yeah. I know."

The trio walked inside and took a seat somewhere along the middle row. Padme sat between Teckla and Anakin, with Anakin on the aisle seat in case he decided he was too bored and wanted to leave. As her professor began the lecture, Padme eagerly took out her laptop and began incessantly typing notes. That was, until she realised that bringing Anakin here was probably _not_ a good idea.

God, he was so _annoying_.

Whistling and tapping the tray table with one of Padme's pens, fidgeting in his seat, sighing heavily and muttering under his breath about how _bored_ he was. It was driving Padme to distraction. _How_ was she supposed to concentrate when she had to listen to his childish behaviour? At one point, she jabbed him sharply in the ribs with her elbow and hissed at him to " _shut up,_ " and he'd grumbled, rubbed his side gingerly and sank lower into his chair.

Three hours couldn't end fast enough. It was normally a struggle for Padme to sit through this class, but she hadn't had a coffee fix, and her brain was working over time trying not to doze off. When her professor finally concluded the last summary slide of the lecture, Padme hastily shoved her laptop into her satchel and she, Anakin, and Teckla quickly left the auditorium, eager to stretch their legs and indulge in caffeine.

"I've got another class to go to," Teckla explained once they were out in the walkway. "I'll see you tonight though, right? You're coming to the dinner?" Her green eyes pleaded at her insistently, rocking back and forth on her toes.

Padme smiled. "Of course. I'll see you tonight."

Clapping her hands together gleefully, Teckla let out a cute little cheer. "Yay! Can't wait! I'm _only_ going for the free wine and cheese," she grinned cheekily, before wrapping Padme in a tight hug. "Nice to meet you, Anakin." She turned to him and he nodded his head, returning her enthusiasm as best he could.

"You, too."

With a final wave, Teckla skipped off down the hall, her hair swishing from side to side, and Padme watched her retreating form with a smile and a shake of her head. Being around Teckla reminded Padme of how _she_ had been when she was that age; so full of life and joy and optimistic about _everything._ Now, the weight of her encroaching graduation had sucked most of that spirit out of her until she was nothing but a bundle of stress and anxiety. Only Anakin's presence seemed to calm her down.

"Wow," Anakin chuckled as he reclaimed Padme's hand, the two of them walking in the opposite direction. "She's very… _enthusiastic_."

Padme laughed in agreement. "Yeah, she's _very_ energetic. It's refreshing." She was suddenly overcome by a large yawn, and realised _just_ how much she needed a vanilla latte. "Speaking of energetic," she muttered. "I need coffee. Thanks to _you,_ " she teased, poking Anakin in the ribs playfully, "I didn't have time to buy one earlier."

Anakin shrugged, smirking down at her. "Hey, don't complain to me. I've been up since 4 am. _Chicago_ time. I need coffee more than you do."

Slinking her arm around his waist, she leaned into his side. "Well then, I guess we'd better fix _that._ I don't want you falling asleep on me when I'm giving you my… _sincere appreciation._ " She stretched up and kissed his cheek.

"Trust me, Angel, there's no _way_ I could ever fall asleep on _you._ " He captured her lips in a sweet kiss, and the two of them made their way over to the library, where the coffee cart was.

As they approached, Anakin expressed his need to go to the bathroom and Padme directed him to the nearest set of restrooms, which were inside the library before joining the end of the queue.

"What do you want?" she asked him as he walked away.

He waved his hand flippantly. "Just a cappuccino."

Padme reached into her satchel to retrieve her keep-cup and when she pulled it out, she ran head first into a very solid back. The man in front of her gave a startled groan, and Padme shook her head, staring up at the back she'd bumped into.

"I'm _so_ sorry, Sir...I didn't mean to– " she began to apologise, before her voice broke off suddenly, as she recognized exactly **_who_** she was talking to. The man before her was tall, with dark hair and green eyes and a long, straight nose. She knew that face very _, very_ well. It was the last face she'd _ever_ expected, or wanted, to see.

"Padme?!"

She swallowed hard, her mouth opening and closing stupidly as she tried to form words, but her throat had gone dry. No. It couldn't be _him._ She didn't _want_ to see him. If Anakin came out and saw her talking to him, there was no imagining what he would do. She shot a quick glance toward the library. Still, he was in the bathroom, and she was being rude.

With a weak, forced attempt at a smile, she nodded her head. "R-Rush…" she began, trying to make her voice sound cool and collected, but it came out as a high-pitched squeak instead. "F-fancy seeing you h-here."


	23. Chapter 23

_**A/N: Another chapter for you. Sorry about the cliffie's… It's probably not going to get any better, unfortunately. I'm not going to say much else. Just enjoy this next update on this emotional roller coaster of a journey that I'm taking you on.**_

* * *

"Padme," he said again, more a greeting this time, though Padme noted how uncomfortable he looked as he squirmed in front of her. It filled her with a cruel sense of glee. He deserved to squirm. And, she _definitely_ deserved to watch him.

 _Rush_ _Clovis?!_ Of all the people to run into at the coffee cart, it just _had_ to be him. Padme grit her teeth in annoyance and silently cursed the universe at throwing another curve ball at her just when she and Anakin had gotten past the last one. It wasn't _fair!_ What was he even _doing_ here? From what she'd last heard, he'd graduated not long after he'd broken up with her, and was an associate at some law firm in town. There was _no reason_ why he should be here, at Harvard, at the _coffee cart_ of all places!

Unless…

He was here… _intentionally._ Unless he had come here specifically to run into her, and make it _seem_ like an accident. She swallowed. No. Surely he wasn't that stupid. Surely he would have gotten the hint when she didn't respond to his Christmas card.

The line moved forward a little and still, Padme had remained stunned, hardly even registering where she was or what was going on until Clovis bent a little lower, meeting her eyes. "How… how are you?"

She blinked rapidly, brought back to life by his question and rearranged her features into what she hoped was a smile. It felt more like a grimace. "Great!" she said, far too enthusiastic for how she really felt, but she didn't want him to think that she was pining over him or anything and get crazy ideas in his head of trying to get back together with her. She was _well_ and _truly_ over him. And, she wanted him to know _just_ how great she was now that she was no longer with him.

He gave an awkward laugh and nodded his head. "That's…that's great. You look… _well_."

His compliment, even though small, was completely unwarranted, and she fixed him with a firm stare. "Thank you," she said in a flat monotone.

Nodding his head awkwardly, he stepped up to the barista and ordered his coffee, and Padme stared at the back of his head in frustration. All she wanted was to order her coffees and find Anakin so that they could get back to her apartment and make up for lost time. The _last_ thing she wanted in her mind when she was making sweet love with Anakin was _Rush Freaking Clovis._ It would surely put a damper on the mood, and she wasn't about to let _anything_ spoil their reunion.

Soon, it was Padme's turn to order, and she held out her keep-cup to the cashier. She ordered her vanilla latte and Anakin's cappuccino, handed the barista a ten, and then went to join the waiting queue.

"Still sticking to vanilla latte's, huh?" Rush asked her with a small smile, as they stood there awkwardly, breaking the silence.

Snapping her head up to look at him, she narrowed her eyes, her lips thinning into a frown. "Yes," she responded, haughtily. "Is that a problem?"

His eyes widened a little at her aggressive answer, and he shook his head, clearly trying to placate her with a small smile. "No. Not at all." Sighing, he adjusted the thin, charcoal tie he was wearing. Padme watched the gesture with contempt. He was dressed in a very expensive, light grey suit with black dress shoes and a black brief case in his hand. His attire made her roll her eyes at the pretentiousness of it all. Of _course_ , he was in a suit. If she knew Rush, she knew he liked to flaunt his success, and his suit-wearing was just another way to express his arrogance. She'd _never_ liked that about him, but had overlooked it when she had been young and naïve. "I'm just trying to make conversation with you, Padme."

Padme glared at his words, practically seething with anger. "What would make you think I could possibly want to talk to _you_?!" she snarled, crossing her arms back over her chest.

"I… Padme, I know that I – " he broke off, suddenly flustered and seemingly tongue tied, and it surprised Padme to see him like this. She'd never seen him stutter before. The Rush Clovis she had known when she had been in a relationship with him was a smooth talker, never fumbling over words or struggling to find ways to express himself. It had been one of the reasons she'd fallen for him in the first place – he'd known _exactly_ what to say to make her fall prey to his attentions. The sight of him stuttering felt… _satisfying._ She liked watching him struggle, took _pleasure_ from him in a greedy, sadistic way.

"I don't deserve anything from you," he continued once he'd cleared his throat, refusing to meet her eyes. "I know that. I treated you poorly, badly even, and you deserved _so_ much better than that, Padme. I _know_ that now. But…" he paused and sighed, as his green eyes met her gaze tentatively. "At least let me apologize to you. At least grant me that. _Please?_ "

Raising an eyebrow, she pursed her lips in a thin line. " _Why_ should I? After you harassed me at Christmas?!"

He started, blinking his eyes rapidly, a look of pure shock on his face. "Oh, so you _did_ get that, then. I was wondering if maybe…"

"Yes, I got it," she spat, remembering the awful fight with Anakin that had transpired after she'd brought up that _particular_ surprise. It wasn't something she wanted to relive anytime soon. _Why_ was it taking so long for her coffees? She wanted to get away from Clovis before Anakin came back and saw them together.

"And, if you _think_ that by apologizing to me, it'll somehow make me want to get back together with you, then you're more of an idiot than I thought!" She finished her little monologue with a curt nod, pleased with herself for finally getting it off of her chest.

His reaction was _not_ what she was expecting, however. She was expecting him to grow angry and terse, or begin pleading with her to take him back. But, he did neither of these things. Instead, he merely cocked his head to the side and stared at her as though she'd gone crazy.

"Get back together with you?" he repeated her words slowly, confusion clearly evident in his eyes, and she could visibly see the cogs turning in his head as he processed her words. "Wait…is that what you think? Padme, that's _not_ what I want at all. I just wanted to apologize. Nothing more, and to also tell you that I'm _engaged._ "

Padme blinked in shock.

 _Engaged?_ Rush was _engaged?_ _ **That**_ was the last thing she'd ever expected to hear out of his mouth. She stood there, stunned, eyes wide as she absorbed the information, feeling suddenly incredibly small and very stupid. She'd been _so_ presumptuous, somehow expecting Clovis to still be mad about her, when, really, it _shouldn_ ' _t_ have surprised her that he wasn't interested in reforming a relationship. _He_ had cheated on her. _He_ had broken up with her. _Of_ _course_ , he wouldn't still be interested in her, if he hadn't even wanted her when they _were_ together.

But, as idiotic as her assumptions made her feel, she couldn't deny the sense of sheer _relief_ that swept through her either. There was _nothing_ to worry about. He wasn't trying to win her over. Clovis had just been trying to apologize for his bad behavior, in a weird, awkward way, because the situation itself was _awkward_. No question about it.

A smile broke out on her face at the thought. Anakin was _wrong_. There was _nothing_ to fear from Clovis. And, Padme beamed up at him, feeling a huge weight lifted off her chest. Even if Anakin did come back now, there'd be no problem, because Clovis was _getting married,_ and as long as he didn't want _anything_ to do with Padme, she was glad for him. Happy, even.

"Engaged!" she exclaimed in surprise. "That's…Rush, that's _wonderful_ for you!" And, she meant it, too. Clearly, he had found what he had been looking for, and if he was even _half_ as happy as Padme was with Anakin, then she wished him all the best. "Congratulations. Really."

He shifted his stance, and nodded his head, a smile on his face. "Thank you, Padme," he said, sincerely. "We're very happy. Liz is a student here. She's in class at the moment, but I took some time off work to surprise her."

So, _that's_ why he was here. To see his fiancé for Valentine's Day. Once again, Padme felt herself shrink from her stupidity. She'd been so quick to judge him, so quick to assume the worst, when, in actual fact, _he_ was probably just as surprised to see her as she was him.

"That's very romantic," Padme commented, giving him a reassuring smile. The uncomfortable air that existed between them was somewhat lifted after his surprise announcement. Perhaps, they would never be completely _friendly_ towards each other, but Padme decided, at that moment, that she was going to be as kind to him as she could – show him that she was _truly_ over him and that she forgave him and was happy he had moved on, too. It gave her a sense of accomplishment, as though she was doing the right thing.

And, she was.

Clovis nodded his head, before meeting Padme's eyes, completely serious. "Look, Padme," he began. "I'm sorry about Christmas…I didn't go about it the right way, but I was unsure what to do. I mean, I didn't expect you to even read it, to be honest. It was Liz who suggested that I write you, to get the guilt off my chest, and hopefully, give you some closure. You deserved that. That's _all_ I wanted, honestly."

Padme smiled kindly up at him. "It was Liz, wasn't it?" she asked. "You were… _involved_ with her when we…when we were together, weren't you?" Her voice trailed off in the air, a neutral tone to it. She wasn't sad, not exactly, but the memories of how much it had hurt her were still there in the back of her mind.

Her pain, she had come to realize, wasn't associated with losing Clovis so much, rather it was with being _betrayed_ by a man she'd cared about. With trusting someone whole-heartedly only to find them being unfaithful to her behind her back. _That_ was what had hurt the most.

Guilt flashed through his eyes, and he swallowed nervously. "Y-Yes," he admitted. "It was Liz. I…she…we _knew_ it was wrong, but I - I couldn't help the way I felt about her, Padme. I _never_ meant to hurt you. I hope you know that. Not _intentionally_ anyway."

His admission somehow made her feel a heap better. He'd been _in love_ with another woman. And, now they were getting married. The knowledge that it hadn't just been a fling, that it had been _real love_ for him, somewhat lessened the betrayal a little. She briefly wondered what would have happened had she known Anakin whilst still in a relationship with Clovis. The chemistry between them, the heat, the way they were so _perfectly_ matched…it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to ignore, she had to admit. Perhaps, it had been the same way with Clovis and his fiancé.

She reached out and lightly touched his wrist as an act of peace. "I'm glad you found what you're looking for, Rush. I really am. Thank you for explaining...I wish you all the best. And, apology accepted." He visibly relaxed at her statement, and they shared a smile of understanding.

He went up to retrieve his order, coming back with a latte which he sipped at generously. "And, you? Are you seeing anyone special now?"

The question made her beam widely, her face glowing as soon as she thought of Anakin. _Special_ was an understatement. Anakin was more than just _special_ to her. He was _everything_ to her; her lover, her best friend, her strength, her protector. He made her feel alive and safe and strong. He made her feel _cherished_ and _adored_ , and being with him was greater than _anything_ she'd ever experienced in her life. He wasn't perfect, far from it, and neither was she. But, they _completed_ each other in the most perfect way and brought out the best in each other. _That_ was love. Pure and simple.

"Yes," she gushed, feeling her cheeks flush with heat. "I am. His name's Anakin. We've known each other since we were kids. We sorta grew up together. He's…He makes me _very_ happy." Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight, a tender smile on her face.

Clovis smiled and eyed her over his latte. "Is it serious?"

"Yes...Very much so," was her response. Padme knew without question, deep down, that she and Anakin would be _forever_. That they were _meant_ for each other. The _only_ certainty in her future was that it would contain him. _That much_ she knew to be true, without a doubt.

Her name was called, and she quickly went and claimed her coffees, coming back to join Clovis. Just as they were continuing their conversation, she saw Anakin walking out of the library and approaching her. She grinned at him as she saw him, but he didn't return her joy. Instead, she saw how his face was somewhat hard and stoic. _Oh dear,_ she sighed internally, watching as his eyes darted back and forth between her and Clovis sceptically. Once he reached her, he slung his arm possessively around her waist and dropped a fleeting kiss on her cheek, his eyes quickly returning to Clovis.

"Ani, here's your coffee," Padme beamed up at him, and handed out his takeaway cappuccino, but he ignored her gesture, stern blue gaze trained intently on Clovis.

"Padme…?" his voice rose up a bit in question, and she sighed. _This_ was what she had been dreading. Of course, Anakin didn't know what Clovis looked like, but if he was reacting like _this_ seeing her randomly talking to another man, he'd absolutely flip out when he'd find out it was her ex-boyfriend... _Clovis_ specifically.

Chewing on her bottom lip, she tried to think of a quick solution to her dilemma, so that she could quickly steer them on the way back to her apartment where she could calm Anakin down and soothe his masculine pride.

"Anakin…This is, uh…" She broke off, unsure of whether to lie or just give a vague introduction.

Before she had a chance to finish her sentence, Clovis held out his hand to Anakin in a gentlemanly gesture. To her complete horror, he introduced himself. "Anakin, it's good to meet you. I'm Rush Clovis."

Padme sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes immediately darting up to Anakin's face, watching as his expression contorted from vague scepticism to complete outrage at the mention of that name. The sudden heat, the _anger_ that exploded and shimmered in his cold blue eyes was unnerving. He flexed his jaw, eyeing Clovis' outstretched hand like it had just slapped his own mother.

Fearing just such a reaction, or worse, Padme instinctively joined her hand with Anakin's, trying to reassure him that it was okay, but he didn't seem to register her action. Somehow, he seemed to grow even taller, and the dark expression on his face was a little frightening.

 _Don't do anything stupid, Ani,_ she pleaded to herself desperately.

Eventually, Clovis seemed to sense he wasn't a friendly face, for he slowly withdrew his hand, looking between Padme and Anakin helplessly.

Then, in the most deathly quiet voice Padme had ever heard him use, Anakin whispered, " _How dare you!_ " It cut through the air as cold and sharp as a machete and made the hair on the back of Padme's neck stand on end. Goose-pimples broke out on her skin unconsciously. She'd _never_ heard Anakin talk like that before, but suddenly, she was worried for Clovis' wellbeing. The more compassionate side of her wanted to warn Clovis, tell him to get out of there, to leave - and quickly, but she remained mute and rooted to the spot, unable to utter a sound.

Clovis frowned a little and tipped his head to the side. "Excuse me?" He asked, clearly confused, looking from Anakin's furious expression to Padme's frightened one.

His comment seemed to drive Anakin over the edge. She could feel him shaking as she held his hand, as he fought off the wave of rage that was obviously boiling inside him. " _You_ _fucking_ _bastard_!" He cursed, voice rising hotly, and the comment made Clovis scowl at him, not used to being addressed in such a manner.

Padme swallowed and tugged on his hand, her eyes darting around to see if people could hear them. The last thing she wanted was to cause a scene, especially not _here_ , in _public._ " _Ani_ …please, let's go," she pleaded with him, but he suddenly yanked his hand free from her grip, clenching it into a fist by his side, knuckles turning white.

"How _dare_ you stand there, talking to _her!_ You have _no fucking right_ to speak to her!" Anakin snarled, expression positively venomous. His top lip was drawn back slightly and his eyes narrowed to slits as he locked and unlocked his jaw.

"Listen, mate," Clovis held up his palms pathetically in some sort of surrender, "I don't know what you think happened between Padme and I but I can assure you that – "

 _Crack._

Clovis never got to finish, as it was difficult to talk with a fist in one's mouth. At first, Padme didn't register what had happened...it happened so fast… until she saw Anakin retract his hand from Clovis' face, which had blood spewing from it. He stumbled backwards with a cry of pain, clutching his nose as blood dripped between his fingers. She gasped. Had Anakin just _punched_ him? Initially, she felt a small sense of pride. He _was_ defending her honour, and it was almost sweet in a way. But, that initial pride soon faded away to horror once she came to her senses.

All around them, people were staring and gasping and pointing, and Padme felt her cheeks redden with anger. What was Anakin _thinking?!_ Lashing out at Clovis in such a _public arena?!_ Had he lost his mind?! " _Anakin!"_ She scolded him, trying to pull his hand away, to pull him away from Clovis, as he looked like he was about to strike again. This couldn't be happening – not _here_ of all places. He'd _promised_ he wouldn't get angry or jealous about Clovis anymore. He'd _promised_ her that. And now, here he was, breaking his promise out in the open, in broad daylight.

"What the _fuck?!_ " Clovis groaned, eyes shooting daggers at Anakin, hand still clutched around his bleeding nose – Padme suspected it was broken by the look of it.

"Ani…" Padme called to him, but he either didn't hear her, or didn't want to. Shrugging her off, he took another step closer to Clovis, and even though they were close to the same height, Anakin was _easily_ the more intimidating. Just his very posture oozed power, and Clovis rightly shrunk under that fierce, blue gaze.

"You sick bastard!" Anakin roared at him, and now most of the entire courtyard was staring at the interaction, make Padme groan in embarrassment. She couldn't _believe_ this was happening. It just _couldn_ ' _t_ be happening! "You treat her like shit, go behind her back like the fucking pig you are, and then think you can try and _win her back!_ You don't even have the right to _look at her!"_

He drew his arm back and snapped it forward again. His fist collided with Clovis' face with another sickening crack, and if his nose hadn't been broken before, it definitely was now. "Cheating _scum!"_ He bellowed with each punch, stepping forward for more, and Padme could only stand and watch in horror as Anakin beat the...well, the _shit_...out of her ex-boyfriend. Some girls might have thought it was romantic, or swoon worthy, but Padme wasn't like most girls. It sickened her. _This_ side of Anakin was the one he'd promised her he'd left behind. She knew it was horrible, but she was suddenly a little scared of him.

Deciding that she couldn't just stand there and let Anakin break every bone in Clovis' body, she rushed forward, grabbing hold of Anakin's arm as tightly as she could and jerked him back. " **Anakin!** " She cried, desperately trying to get him to listen to her. "Anakin, _stop!_ Please!" She looked down at Clovis, who was now slumped to his knees, trying to shield himself from Anakin's unyielding fists. " _Please!_ "

Anakin finally seemed to hear her and snapped his head up, staring directly at her, his blue eyes blazing. "You have no say in this!" he snapped at her, and she flinched. That expression in his eyes, it was unlike _anything_ she'd ever seen before. It was raw and so intense, like an animal before it pounces, and Padme shrunk backwards, suddenly frightened. Her hand dropped from his, and she took a step back, tears in her eyes. It was then that he came to his senses with a shake of his head, and he softened immediately, pleading at her. " _Padme_ …"

She shook her head, biting her quivering lip, as tears started to spill down her cheeks. Anakin looked down at his fist and flexed his knuckles, as though he couldn't even remember what he'd done with it, and he stepped back, suddenly horrified at himself, at what he'd just done.

"Padme… I'm – " he reached for her, stepping closer to her, but instead, she rushed to Clovis' side, crouching next to him.

"Just leave us, Anakin," she told him sadly, not even looking up at him. "Please. Just go." He needed space and time to calm down, and Padme was too upset to speak to him at this point.

She saw him nod and turn and begin to walk away in her peripheral vision, and she sighed. _What_ was she going to do? Clovis groaned from next to her, and it caught her attention.

"Are you… Are you alright, Rush?" She asked tentatively, reaching out to gingerly help him to his feet.

He nodded and brought his hand away from his face, and the sight made Padme gag. His nose was horribly bent, and there was blood _everywhere._ A dark bruise was forming around his swollen, left eye and his lip was cut and bleeding. Anakin certainly hadn't held back any of his rage. "I guess I had that coming, didn't I?" He chuckled feebly, obviously in pain.

"Oh my god!" Padme cried in horror. "You need to get to a hospital! Come on, I'll take you."

"No, Padme," he argued firmly. "I'll get Liz to take me. She should be outta class soon. Besides, I think you have other...more important things...to attend to right now." He motioned after Anakin's retreating figure.

Padme scowled. "I'd rather _not_ deal with him at the moment," she said darkly, narrowing her eyes. "I can't _believe_ he did this to you! I'm _so_ sorry, Rush. Honestly." Going over to the coffee cart, she grabbed some napkins and handed them to Clovis, who began to dab the blood off his nose and mouth. He really did look awful, and Padme felt a surge of sympathy for him. Sure, he'd been a complete jerk to her, but she wouldn't have wished _this_ on anybody, not even _him._ She sincerely hoped that he wouldn't pursue the matter and get Anakin into trouble. That was the _last_ thing she... _they..._ needed to deal with right now.

He frowned, before wincing at the pain. " _He_ makes you happy?" he demanded. "That _Neanderthal?_ "

Even though she was furious with Anakin, Clovis' insult made her glare at him, and she crossed her arms. "Anakin's _not_ a Neanderthal!" she said, immediately defending him. "He's very… _protective..._ of me. And, sometimes he doesn't think things through first. But, he _loves_ me."

"Yes, I can see how much he _loves you_ ," he drawled sardonically, gesturing to his broken nose. "He attacked me."

Padme glared at him, stonily. She'd almost forgotten how much of a baby Clovis could be. Always complaining. "Anakin would never do _anything_ to hurt _me_ ," she told him honestly. "He's a good person, Rush. Better than you will ever be."

Even the arrogant Rush Clovis couldn't disagree with her comment. Instead, he merely hung his head and grumbled something under his breath, before dapping at his nose again. When he finally looked at Padme, she could see the humiliation in his sharp, green eyes. "I think it would be…uh, _best_ , if we forgot all about this. Don't you?"

Padme nodded, relieved that he wasn't going to pursue the matter. "Yes. Of course."

"Well," Clovis nodded his head. "I wish you all the best, Padme."

"You, too."

They stood there in an awkward silence, before Clovis turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Padme standing there alone in the middle of the courtyard. All around her, people were whispering and staring. She needed to be alone for a moment, just to think about what she was going to do. _How_ was she supposed to proceed with this? Anakin had broken his promise to her, he'd _humiliated_ her, and he'd lashed out and attacked Clovis when it had seemed like all things were forgiven. Yet, a part of her knew that he'd done it out of love for her. His intentions had been good, but his execution had been poor. It was becoming a reoccurring problem, Padme realized miserably. She vaguely wondered if he would ever change, or if she'd be stuck constantly worried about him lashing out in jealousy for the rest of her life?

Taking a sip from her, now lukewarm, vanilla latte, she hugged her arms tightly around herself and walked off back to her apartment, feeling more conflicted than she'd ever felt in her life.

What was she going to do?


	24. Chapter 24

_**A/N: I've given up apologising for cliff-hangers... I'm sadistic. Shoot me :)**_

 ** _The reaction to the previous chapter was so... well... honest. And I LOVED it! That's exactly the reactions I wanted. Yes, Anakin_ was _in the wrong. I intended it to be that way. For anyone who thinks what he did was out of character, I'm sorry to inform you, but it's not. Anakin is unstable and has serious anger and jealousy issues: in ANY universe. He hardly received any consequences in Star Wars because he's a Jedi and killing people is, I don't know, somehow permitted? But, he's in our universe now. There's consequences. It's wrong._**

 ** _I've mentioned to a few people that the previous chapter was basically based off an episode in Season 6 of The Clone Wars where Anakin does exactly this to Clovis (but uses Force choke and other such things as well) and it was bloody awful to watch. Cringe-worthy even. So, to those who picked up on it, nice :)_**

 ** _Don't get me wrong. I love Anakin. He's my favourite character because he's so flawed and has so many layers and is full of good intentions, but goes about_ everything _the wrong way. It makes him such an intriguing character to write._**

 ** _Please don't judge Padme too harshly, either. She's not known for making good decisions where Anakin's involved. He's her kryptonite, I guess you could say, just like she's Anakin's. Their R &J tendencies make my heart ache! *sobs*_**

 ** _Anyway, enough of my ranting. Enjoy! xx_**

* * *

By the time she got back to her apartment, Padme felt sick to her stomach. Every bone in her body felt heavy and lethargic. She was disgusted and horrified and humiliated and so, _so_ conflicted, and it was eating away at her conscience. Padme had always tried to make the best of bad situations all her life; she always strived to see the best in people, as her mother had taught her, but it was straining her energy to find some sort of _silver_ _lining_ about her current predicament.

For the first time since they'd been together, or even for as long as she had known him really, Padme couldn't recall a moment where she was truly frightened of Anakin. She'd been angry at him, and concerned _for_ him, but she'd never been _afraid_. That was, until now. Now that she had seen what harm his anger and jealousy could really do, _it terrified her_. Images of Clovis' broken and bloody face swam before her eyes as she trudged through the snow, and she had to hold back the wave of nausea that was creeping up her throat.

She'd _never_ seen Anakin like that. It was like he'd turned into a completely different person – a person Padme wasn't sure she could trust. How could she trust that he wouldn't do something like that again? What if he did it to _her?_ As soon as the idea came to mind, she shook her head immediately, ashamed. _No._ Anakin would **_never_** do that to _her!_ He loved her. He'd never hurt her. But, she couldn't help the feeling of trepidation that swirled in her mind. The truth was, _she didn_ _'_ _t know_. And that uncertainty scared her more than she could admit.

Her thoughts suddenly shifted to Anakin's confession, about eight months ago, of how he'd lashed out in anger and been charged for it. About how he'd attacked a young man with a baseball bat out of _revenge._ It was the same thing now. Anakin had attacked Clovis out of _vengeance_ for what he had done to _her._

Padme had forgiven him when he'd told her that. He'd been sixteen, and impressionable, and she'd forgiven him because it was in the past. Because he'd _promised her_ that he'd left that part of his life behind, that he'd moved on and grown up.

Obviously, he _hadn_ _'_ _t._

With a heavy heart, she opened her door and stepped inside, wanting nothing more than to curl up in her bed for the next two hours and weep until all of her sorrow had disappeared. As she deposited her keys on the kitchen bench and made her way into the room, her plans were put on hold. Anakin was sitting on the edge of the sofa, head in his hands. Padme froze where she was. She didn't want to see him; didn't even want to speak to him. All she wanted was to be alone.

He had other intentions, it seemed, for he looked up and met her gaze. "Hey." The sorrow, the agony, the _regret_ that trembled in his voice, that swam in his blue eyes completely disarmed her. The rims of his eyes were red – had he been crying? – and his bottom lip quivered as he looked at her. All Padme could do was stare at him; her throat had gone dry and any energy she had left was drained from her.

When she didn't respond, he rose and made to approach her. " _Padme_ _…_ I'm – "

She flinched away from him, stepping backwards, and a flash of pain crossed his face at her reaction. His hand was outstretched, hanging awkwardly in the air as though he wanted to reach out to her, but thought better of it. Swallowing, he sighed deeply and closed his eyes, raking his hands through his hair in defeat.

Padme eventually found her voice and muttered quietly, "You could have _killed_ him, Anakin." The words rolled off her tongue reluctantly, as though she wanted to deny the truth, even though it was right there in front of her. If she hadn't stopped him… A shudder wracked her body at the idea. She _didn_ _'_ _t_ want to think about _that._

Hanging his head, Anakin dropped his shoulders. "I know," he admitted sadly. He looked so small and vulnerable at that moment, much like the little boy she had known growing up and less like the man she loved. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen before.

"What were you _thinking?_ " She asked him, voice barely rising above a whisper, for she physically didn't have the energy to speak. She was too upset.

At her question, Anakin slumped back onto the sofa, clasping his hands over his spread knees. He didn't look at her, and Padme was glad for it. She didn't want to see how much she was hurting him because she knew she would fall apart. Her resolve would shatter, and she couldn't afford to fall prey to his beautiful eyes right now. Not when there was so much she needed to know, to work out. She _had_ to remain firm.

"I – I wasn't," Anakin responded thickly. Padme noticed that his entire body was trembling, and a part of her yearned to run to him and wrap him up in her arms, but she remained rooted to the spot, unable to move, for another, _bigger_ part of her was afraid to even touch him. "It just… _happened._ I was suddenly so angry and…I lost – I mean...something just _snapped_ inside me, and I just – I don't…" He exhaled deeply and then lifted his head up, once again meeting her eyes. "Padme, I'm…I'm _sorry_."

She only shook her head as tears spilled silently down her cheeks. "You _frightened_ me today, Anakin," she confessed weakly through her sobs. "It was like you were a different person altogether."

His entire expression dropped, and his eyes widened in horror, once again standing up and stepping closer to her. "Angel, _please,_ " he pleaded at her softly. "Don't cry… I – I would _never_ hurt you."

"How can I _trust_ you?" She whimpered, slightly hysterical. Her chest constricted tightly as she said the words. Was this what heartbreak felt like? Because she felt like she was falling to pieces, her soul slowly crumpling as she became a blubbering mess in front of him. She couldn't handle the way he was looking at her, as though he was watching his entire world slip away from him, and she vaguely wondered if that was indeed the case. _Was_ she leaving him? _Was_ she breaking up with him? _Was_ this the end?

She didn't know.

"How do I _know_ that, Anakin? How do I _know_ that you won't do this again? To someone else? To – to _me_?"

It was then she noticed that he was crying, _too_ , as he stepped closer and gripped her arms, not tightly, but _desperately_. "Padme, I would _never,_ " he insisted, bending to press his forehead against hers. She felt his tears drip off the end of his nose and land on her lips. "I _love_ you. I love you more than _anything._ You're my _whole_ _world_ , Angel."

His admission of love was her undoing, and she shuddered as a pained sob burst out of her. She _knew_ that he loved her. And, she _knew_ that she loved him. _That_ was why this hurt so much. Because she loved him, and he'd broken his promise. He'd _betrayed her_ and _frightened_ her, and she didn't know what she was going to do. All she knew was that she was _hurt_ , more hurt than she'd _ever_ been in her life.

She exhaled shakily, pulling back so that she could look him right in the eye. "That's not enough, Ani," she told him in a small voice. "Loving me doesn't change what you did."

He sucked his lip in between his teeth, nodding his head slowly. "I – I know."

With a shaky breath, Padme bravely continued. "I've told you this before, Anakin. Relationships are based on _trust._ How can we last if – if I can't…" She broke off as she was wracked by another sob, before she swallowed her tears. "If I can't _trust you_?"

" _Padme_ _…_ " he muttered desperately as he ducked his head, lips seeking out hers but she pulled away, stepping out of his arms. "It won't happen again," he vowed, more sincere than she'd ever seen him. "I _promise you_ , Angel."

Biting her lip, she shook her head miserably. "You _promised_ me you'd left this part of your life behind you, Anakin. But, then you do _this?_ " She put her head in her hands, feeling more tired than ever.

"Padme, I… I made a mistake but…it won't happen again. I _swear_ it."

"You attacked Clovis, Anakin!" Her voice rose up, and it was only then that she realised how **angry** she was. "You _promised_ me you wouldn't get jealous about him anymore. But, you just _broke your promise_. You _humiliated me_ in front of the entire campus! I'm surprised Clovis didn't want to press charges against you, Anakin. He very well _could_ have. You _assaulted_ him! _And, he's an attorney!_ " Her arms were flailing about wildly as she spoke, but she couldn't stop the wave of rage that burst out of her.

"So, you're defending _him_?" He snarled, crossing his arms.

Padme groaned in frustration. "This isn't _about_ Clovis, Anakin! This is about _you!_ _"_ She sighed and played with the end of her braid, staring down at the ground. "Are you going to do this to _every_ man I talk to? Are you going to lock me away so that I can only see _you?_ Will _that_ make you happy?"

 _"_ What are you talking about?" He demanded, frustrated and bewildered by her comments.

"Well, what _else_ am I supposed to do to make you believe that I _love you_ , Anakin?" She cried. "That I want to be with _you_ and _only you_? Please, tell me. Because, it seems to me that you're determined to think I'm going to leave you."

"He's your ex-boyfriend, Padme. _And,_ he wants to get back together with you. I think I'm within my rights as your boyfriend to _not_ want you to associate with him."

Padme groaned in exasperation. "Clovis is _engaged,_ Anakin!" she told him angrily. " _That_ _'_ _s_ why he wanted to speak to me. He wanted to apologize for how he treated me... _and_ to tell me he was engaged! If you had just let me _explain_ that before rushing in and _attacking_ him, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Anakin gaped at her, a little dumbstruck. "Wait…he's _engaged?_ "

" **Yes** , Anakin," Padme sighed, exhaling sharply through her nose. "And, now he's going home to his fiancé, looking like that! If _you_ _'_ _d_ come home to me after your ex-girlfriend's boyfriend had assaulted you, looking like _that_ _…_ _?_ " She broke off, shuddering at the horrid images that flashed through her mind.

"Padme, I regret what I did," he insisted. "I _really do_. I didn't mean for it to get so out of hand. I just…It just _happened._ But, it won't happen again. You _have_ to believe me."

It was then she met his gaze, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. "I don't know if I can."

" _Padme_ …"

"I can't… I just can't do this anymore, Anakin," she said miserably. It physically _ached_ to say those words, but she couldn't deny the truth of them. The stress of their relationship, of his _actions_ was too much for her, especially this close to graduation. She didn't know if she could keep it up. As much as it pained her to admit it.

He blinked at her, tipping his head to the side as he processed her words. "What – what are you saying?" he asked slowly.

"M-maybe we should have some… some time apart…" her voice broke off into a sob.

The look of horror on Anakin's face was simply heartbreaking. "N-no… Angel, don't – _don_ _'_ _t say that,_ " he begged her, stepping forward to place a hand on her shoulder. "We spend _so_ much time apart already… I _can_ _'_ _t bear_ to **not** see you."

His hand trailed up her neck to cup her cheek, and she closed her eyes at his gentle touch. It was awful that it had come to _this_ between them, but Padme knew that she needed time to process what had happened. To make an informed decision. And, the only way she could do that was by _not_ being around Anakin.

"I love you," she wept quietly, taking his hand in hers and pulling it away from her face. "But, I just can't do this, Ani. I can't keep wondering if you're going to lash out in jealousy any time I talk to another man. I – I can't keep _defending_ you…"

" _Padme_ … _please_ _…_ " The tortured expression on his face was horrible to witness, and so she hung her head, staring at the floor, so she wouldn't have to see it.

She swallowed. "I think it would be best if we didn't see each other for a while."

Anakin was silent for a long time, and still, Padme didn't look up at him. It would only be her undoing if she did. Eventually, she heard him sniffle as he muttered, "If… if that's what you want."

Nodding silently, she let her tears fall, spilling down her cheeks and pattering softly against the floor. "I'm sorry, Anakin," she whispered into the silence.

"Yeah," he responded thickly. "I'm sorry, too."

Padme heard him move away, pick up his duffle bag off the floor, and it was only then that she looked up, to see his retreating figure leaving her apartment. He glanced back at her over his shoulder as he stood in the doorway, and Padme whimpered tearfully as he met her gaze, holding her captive for just a moment, before sighing and shutting the door behind him.

Once alone, Padme sank to her knees on the floor and wailed, feeling wretched and heartbroken and more miserable than she'd _ever_ felt in her entire life.

It took _all_ of her fragile strength to remove herself from the floor and drag herself into her bedroom, where she flung herself onto her mattress and pulled the thick, heavy duvet up over her head. The tears continued to fall in a steady stream – she didn't think she'd ever cried this much in her life – as she curled into herself and shut her eyes. The pain in her chest was so agonizing, it was as though someone had sliced her open, broken her ribs and pulled out her heart, before stabbing it over and over again with a blunt knife.

She _wanted_ Anakin. She _wanted_ him to pull her into his arms and mumble soothing words to her, to feel his body pressed against her own, his lips against her skin, his strong, protective presence wrapped around her like a warm blanket. Yet, at the same time, she wanted to be completely and utterly alone. She wanted to stay in her bed for the rest of the day, hidden away from the rest of the world, from Dorme, from Anakin…

When it was time for her to return to her classes, Padme washed her face to rid the evidence of her sorrow, and trudged off through the snow, posture slouched and miserable. She was barely conscious of her feet taking each step, her body going into autopilot as she relived her fight with Anakin over and over in her head. It was a miracle she even made it to class on time.

Her focus was elsewhere. She stared blanking at her laptop screen, a blank page before her. _All_ she could think about was Anakin. _Had_ she broken up with him? Was that what had happened? Was that what she _wanted_? She'd said she thought they needed time apart, she needed _space_ to think about what she was going to do. But, the way she'd said the words, and the way he'd looked at her...it felt like the **_end_**.

If anything, _that_ knowledge hurt her the most. The fact that she'd basically ended her relationship with Anakin, and it had been _all her fault._ If she had simply not spoken to Clovis, or even acknowledged him, then Anakin wouldn't have reacted the way he did. But, Padme had given Clovis the benefit of the doubt, had wanted to hear his apology even though she'd told Anakin that it didn't matter. If only she'd dragged them both away before Clovis could introduce himself, they could have avoided this mess. If… if… _if_ _…_

The guilt continued to eat her up for the entirety of the afternoon, and when she finally arrived back at her apartment after her final class, she was so drained of energy, so weighed down by her emotions that she contemplated skipping her important dinner all together. How could she possibly enjoy herself and make herself acquainted with experts in the field, when she was this upset, in _this much_ turmoil?

Dorme had returned from her shopping trip and beamed up at her enthusiastically as soon as she entered their apartment. An assortment of bags were piled haphazardly across the kitchen bench where Dorme was sitting, evidence of what looked like a successful shopping trip, judging by the large grin on her best friend's face.

"Padme! You won't _believe_ the bargains I scored today!" she announced proudly, but her excitement suddenly dissipated when she saw the state Padme was in. Immediately, her face fell, and she rose out of her seat, taking two tentative steps toward her. "Padme…Honey, what's wrong?"

Unable to speak, Padme just hung her head and sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth. Her satchel fell off her shoulder unceremoniously to the ground, but she neither noticed nor cared.

"Where's _lover boy?_ " Dorme asked warily, scanning the room for a sign of Anakin.

At the mention of his name, Padme lost the last scrap of control she had been desperately clinging to all afternoon and completely broke down. She hugged herself tightly as her entire body shook with the force of her sobs. It surprised her that there were still tears left to be shed, after all the crying she had done before her classes that afternoon, and yet still they fell.

Dorme came and pulled her into a tight hug, rubbing her back gently as Padme sobbed into her friend's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay, it's okay," she soothed her gently, before pulling back, running her hands up and down her shoulders. "What's the matter? Did the two of you have a fight or something?" Her brown eyes scanned Padme's face worriedly, brows furrowed.

Swallowing her tears, Padme let out a shaky breath and nodded her head. She could barely lift her head to meet her friend's worried gaze, but summoned her strength and did so. Lip firmly clasped between her teeth, she nodded her head slowly, blinking back the tears that were determined to continue falling. It almost embarrassing how emotional she was, but she couldn't help it. She felt… _lifeless._

"Padme, talk to me," Dorme insisted as she lead Padme over to the couch and encouraged her to sit down. She sank onto the sofa, eyes partially glazed over as she stared off into space, barely aware of Dorme's hand atop her own, rubbing her thumb over her knuckles. "Please. What's going on? You can tell me."

With a slow nod, Padme swallowed her tears and explained everything; what had happened between Anakin and Clovis, their argument, how Anakin had done something similar to this before as a teenager out of vengeance. At times, she had to pause to control her emotions, before recontinuing. It was only when she was finished that she realized, once again, she was crying.

It grew silent.

Dorme was looking at her in complete shock, eyes wide, mouth parted. Her hand stilled against Padme's.

"Oh, Honey…" Dorme sighed sadly. "That's… That's horrible."

Padme picked at her nails as she clasped her hands in her lap, a nervous habit of hers that she hadn't resorted to in years. It was telling of how much this ordeal was straining her, how much stress she was under. "It was _awful,_ " she confessed thickly, barely able to get the words out. "I've never seen anything like it, Dorme. It was like he – like he'd completely _changed._

Dorme put her hand back over Padme's in a reassuring gesture, and the action stilled her hands. "So, what happens now?" She asked kindly, quietly.

Sniffling, Padme wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and trained her teary gaze on her best friend. She felt utterly _helpless_. What _was_ going to happen? It was the most difficult situation she'd ever been in, and she had absolutely _no idea_ how to proceed next. "I don't know," she muttered, meekly, licking her dry lips.

"Well, have you broken up?" Dorme probed her gently, giving her hand a quick squeeze of encouragement.

The thought made Padme whimper, and she hung her head. Her hands were shaking as they lay clenched in her lap, and no matter how hard Dorme squeezed them, she couldn't stop. She was a mess – a complete and utter mess. "I – I don't know!" She cried out, suddenly overwhelmed, and Dorme quickly pulled her into her arms as Padme once again broke down in hysterical sobs.

"Shhhhh," Dorme hushed her and ran her hands soothingly along her arms. "It's alright. It's okay."

"Is it?" She asked, her voice muffled by Dorme's shoulder. When she pulled back, Dorme wiped her tears away with her thumb, giving her a sad smile that she couldn't return. "I…I _love him_ , Dorme."

"I know you do."

"I love him so, _so much_. But, I can't – " she exhaled in an attempt to control her erratic sobs. "I can't be with someone who… Someone like _that!_ I don't know how I can – how can I forgive him for something like _that?"_ She blinked at Dorme helplessly, as though searching for the answer to her questions in those kind brown eyes. "You didn't see him, Dorme. He was… _brutal._ It was terrifying. I can't be with someone who I'm frightened of!"

Dorme only nodded her head, a sign that she wanted to speak up but didn't know how to say anything without hurting Padme's feelings. Which meant she _agreed_ with her. She _agreed_ with breaking up with Anakin.

Of course, she did.

Padme knew that was what any sane person would do. Violence was _never_ the answer, and a trait that doesn't go away easily. Padme wasn't stupid; she knew that Anakin's anger and violent behaviour stemmed from his youth, yet it worried her that he seemed unable to let go of it. There was no guarantee that it wouldn't happen again, and it wasn't a risk she was sure she could take – regardless of how much she loved him. She **_loved_** _Anakin_ _Skywalker_ …Not the man she had seen before her today, pummelling Clovis to a pulp. That man…That wasn't her _Ani._ That wasn't the man she'd fallen in love with.

"It's all _my fault,_ " Padme sobbed helplessly.

Dorme's hand shot out, covering her own. " _No!_ Don't say that Padme. It's _not_ your fault!" she growled firmly. "This is _all_ on Anakin. Don't even _think_ about blaming yourself!"

She nodded, feeling small and insecure. Of course, it wasn't her fault. None of it was _her_ fault. But _why_ then, did she feel so much guilt? Perhaps it was because she should have seen this coming; not to the extent of what happened, but _something_ bad was definitely going to come of Anakin meeting Clovis. She should have foreseen it.

"Maybe he should get some sort of help?" Padme suggested after a while, still desperately looking for a silver lining of some sort, a hope to cling to that her and Anakin would be alright. "It might help him get better… With his anger…"

Dorme frowned at her. "You can't fix everyone, Padme," she grumbled, her voice short and sharp. "There are some people who can't be fixed."

Padme crossed her arms and pouted fiercely at her friend. " _Everyone_ deserves a chance to _change_ , Dorme. What kind of person would that make me if I didn't give _Anakin_ that chance?"

"A smart one," was her friend's snarky reply. "Look, I've always liked Anakin, alright. But, he's… _dangerous_ , Padme. What if he snaps at _you_ one day – "

" – He wouldn't," Padme interrupted firmly.

"You don't _know_ that," Dorme growled. "What if he _does?_ Then what?"

Padme remained firm. "I _know_ Anakin. I know him better than anyone. He's had a hard life… And he's a little… _unstable_ at times. But, I also know he's a good person. He's good and kind and sweet and has a big heart, and I _know_ he regrets what he did. I _know_ that he can change. He _has_ to..." Her voice trailed off desperately, like a last resort.

Dorme only shook her head in defeat. "Padme, I love you. But, you can be a complete idiot sometimes. Are you going to spend the rest of your life defending Anakin's actions?"

"No," she retorted stubbornly. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life helping him. I _love him,_ and that's what you do when you love someone. You forgive and forget."

"Will he even _agree_ to therapy?" Dorme asked weakly, a sour frown on her face.

"He'll have to, if he wants our relationship to work."

"So, that's it? You're just going to take him back and forgive him? Just like that?" Padme could hear the incredulity in her voice and shook her head.

"No. I told him we needed space. That's what I'm giving him. And…I need it, too," she admitted softly. "All this drama…It's giving me a _headache._ I can't think about these sorts of things _this_ close to graduation!" With a heavy sigh, she massaged her temples. "We need to figure things out. I need to talk to him… _properly_ , without our emotions getting in the way."

Dorme nodded her head, but her lips were pursed.

"You don't agree? You think I should leave him?"

"I just want you to be happy, Padme," Dorme admitted, giving her friend a weak smile. "If this… If you think this will make you happy, then I support you…"

Padme beamed at her friend and squeezed her hand in gratitude. "Thank you, Dorme. That means a lot to me." Suddenly, she felt a lot better, lighter, even. Talking to Dorme had lifted a _huge_ weight from her chest, and she felt optimistic that things between her and Anakin would work out. They _had_ to. Padme had sworn that she'd never give up on him, and she wasn't one to break her word. Anakin needed help, but she was _determined_ to help him get through his demons, and she just _knew_ it would help them both grow in the long run.

All they needed to do was talk. Some serious, heavy talking.

"So, do you know where he is? Is he coming back here?" Dorme asked, raising her eyebrows.

Padme shook her head. "No…" she muttered. "He just… _left._ I told him we shouldn't see each other anymore… But, he'll have to come back here. I mean, where else is he going to go?"

"Hmmm," Dorme mused. "I suppose so. Have you tried calling him?"

"Not yet," Padme explained. "I wanted to give him some space, and I'm not ready to talk to him just yet. I still need… _time._ I mean, what he did was _wrong._ He needs to know that. He needs to understand that I won't tolerate that sort of behaviour."

"Well, at least you're teaching him a lesson, I suppose," Dorme conceded, though Padme knew she was uncomfortable with the situation. Rightly so. Padme would have reacted the exact same if the situation had been reversed. And, perhaps Dorme was right, to an extent. Padme _should_ leave Anakin – a part of her knew that she should. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She loved him, and she owed it to herself to _try_ and fix it, to make things right.

Feeling brighter, Padme went off to change for her function, quickly hopping into the shower and washing her hair. She hardly _ever_ straightened her hair, for it normally took too long as her hair was _so_ long and curly, but she decided she wanted to look nice. So, she quickly blow-dried it and styled it into luscious waves, pulling her hair over to one side and pinning it, so that it cascaded over her right shoulder. With her hair and makeup out of the way, she dressed in her favourite little black dress; it had a high, rounded neck and little capped sleeves that hugged her torso, and then flared out form her hips to her mid-thigh. The entire garment was covered in a thin layer of black lace. To complete the outfit, she pulled on her black, pointy-toed stilleto pumps and chose her silver clutch, with a pair of long, dangly, silver earrings and a sheer, black shawl to drape over her shoulders.

As she was closing her jewellery box, she saw her Tiffany bracelet, the one Anakin had given her for Christmas. The sight of the turquoise pouch made her sigh sadly, and she took it out, fingering the shiny, silver beads delicately, and traced the infinity symbol over and over. _Forever._ That's what he'd meant when he'd given her that bracelet. It made Padme sad to think about how complicated _forever_ with Anakin would be… Was she doing the right thing? Was it worth it?

Tears pricked her eyes as she thought about it, and she blinked them away, before clasping the bracelet around her wrist. She didn't want to think about the _what ifs_ anymore. It would only make her second guess herself, and now that she had made her decision, she was determined to stick to it.

She looked herself over in the mirror for a moment, pleased with her attire, and quickly dabbed her wrist and neck with her favourite perfume; _Daisy_ by Marc Jacobs, the one she'd received from her mother for Christmas, and she headed out to the kitchen. Dorme was dressed, ready to go on her date, and beamed at her nervously.

"You look gorgeous," she said kindly, nodding her head in approval.

"So do you," Padme commented. "Trey's gonna have a hard time keeping his hands off you, looking like that."

Dorme's cheeks flushed and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, _please._ I'm only in jeans."

Padme grinned. "Yes, and your legs look a mile long. It's not fair. You make me feel like a dwarf."

Laughing, Dorme shook her head. "Being tall isn't _all_ it's cracked up to be, you know. Sometimes I'd love to be small and petite like you. Do you know how _frustrating_ it is to tower over both girls _and_ guys when I'm in a pair of heels?"

"No," Padme grumbled with a huff. "I only know how frustrating it is to be shorter than almost everyone I know."

"Oh, stop it," Dorme teased. "You're cute and adorable, and you know it. Now, go and have a good time tonight. Make the most of the bar tab, for me, will you?"

Padme giggled and winked at her friend. "You know I will. You have a good time tonight, too, alright? Don't overthink things. Just have fun!"

With another reassuring smile, Padme placed her house keys in her clutch and took her black coat off the hanger by the door, before heading out into the cold, February night. It was lucky that she didn't have to walk too far, and would be in a heated room all night, for it was so cold, she immediately broke out into goose-pimples as soon as she was out in the open. The short walk through the campus was enough to make her toes numb in her shoes, and she stuffed her hands in her pockets of her coat, in an attempt to warm them up.

There were more women than Padme had originally anticipated when she arrived at the function room. But, she barely had a second to look around before Teckla was right in her face, beaming at her madly.

"Thank _god,_ you're here!" Teckla exclaimed exuberantly, flicking her long, strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder. She was dressed in a figure hugging red dress that reached her knees with thin straps and a low front, a pair of nude, strappy heels and glittery, gold clutch in one hand, a glass of rose-coloured wine in the other. Her red lips were parted revealing her pretty white teeth as she grinned at Padme. "I looked like _such_ a loner! People must think I'm an alcoholic! This is my _third_ glass of Moscato, and I've only been here for half an hour!" Her green eyes widened in horror, and Padme laughed at her friend. She was even _more_ excitable than normal when she'd been drinking.

"Well, I'm here now, so we can be alcoholics together," she said, winking, and Teckla took her by the arm, leading her over to the bar.

The rest of the evening passed fairly smoothly – Padme forgot how much wine she'd had, or how much cheese she'd indulged in. She engaged in many deep conversations with her professors and a few of the special guests, and when she wasn't talking, she was hanging with Teckla, listening to her complain about all of her assessment pieces in mild amusement.

"Ah, Padme." She turned at the voice, seeing Professor Jamillia approaching her. She was a tiny woman of Eastern European descent and one of Padme's favourite teachers. "Good to see you 'ave made it."

Padme smiled at her professor. "Of course. I wouldn't miss it."

"'ow are your classes going so far? Are you enjoying zem?" Jamillia asked in her heavy accent.

Just as she was about to reply, her phone began ringing. Puzzled, she pulled it out, expecting it to be either Anakin or Dorme. It was neither – an unknown number. Excusing herself from the conversation, she hurried outside and answered the call.

" _Is this Miss Padme Naberrie?_ _"_ The unknown male voice asked through the speaker.

"Yes?" She responded, frowning in confusion. "Who's calling please?"

" _You are the In-Case of-Emergency number for Mr Anakin Skywalker. I am ringing to inform you that Mr Skywalker has been admitted to Boston City Hospital after being the victim of a car accident. We request that you come here at your earliest convenience to record Mr Skywalker_ _'_ _s medical details._ _"_

Padme froze, a gasp slipping from her lips. Anakin. Hospital. _Car accident._ It was like she'd been hit with a brick wall. Her brain went fuzzy. She couldn't breathe. Her chest grew painfully tight, and she clutched it, stumbling backwards until she hit the wall.

" _Miss Naberrie? Are you there?_ _"_

The voice shocked her, and she slowly nodded her head. "Y-yes. I'm here. I'll b-be there as soon as I c-can," she stammered into the phone, before hanging up and staring into space. Images of Anakin's body lying broken and mangled and bloody on a hospital bed immediately came before her eyes, and she was suddenly overcome by a wave of nausea. She clasped her hand over her mouth and raced to the garden, where she proceeded to barf, from the shock.

"Padme!"

She was vaguely aware of Teckla's voice, and suddenly she was being pulled away, a napkin dabbing around her mouth. Padme wasn't even conscious of what was happening.

The world spun before her eyes and then, everything went black.


	25. Chapter 25

**_A/N: Okay, so I promise that will be the last cliff hanger for a while. I'm not that mean... Or am I? *evil laugh*._**

 ** _A lot of feedback has expressed issues with why Anakin is the way he is - I mean, there's no Jedi Order, or war, and he doesn't have to hide his relationship with Padme, which was the main reason for all of his turmoil and angst in the movies. So, in this universe, it seems unrealistic, right?_**

 ** _Wrong :)_**

 ** _Let me just point out that I've had this entire story planned out for AGES. And, everything happens for a reason. Which, you will find out in this chapter. So, without further adieu... Enjoy! Xx_**

* * *

"Padme? Padme! Can you hear me?!"

Teckla's worried voice was the first sound Padme heard when she regained consciousness. With a low groan, she slowly opened her eyes, seeing her young friend's green ones blinking down at her, wide in shocked concern. It was then she realized that she was sitting against the brick wall, legs stretched out before her and a damp cloth pressed against her forehead, being supported by Teckla's arms.

"Oh, thank _god!_ " Teckla sighed in relief and continued dabbing her forehead with the damp cloth. "You _scared_ me, woman! I didn't think you'd had _that_ much to drink!" She gave a nervous laugh and then moved away from Padme, stepping over her outstretched legs to stare into her eyes once again.

Still in shock, Padme couldn't focus on anything. All she knew was that Anakin was in the hospital, in an unknown condition, and she needed to see him. _**Now**_ _._ "H-hospital!" she cried in a raspy voice, making to stand up, but Teckla pushed her back down firmly.

"Hey, steady there, Girlfriend! You passed out! Don't you even _think_ about moving!"

"N-no!" Padme spluttered, shaking her head in desperation, as tears spilled down her cheeks. "I h-have to go to the h-hopsital. A-Anakin… he's…" she broke off, choked by sobs. Pushing Teckla off her, none too gently, she hauled herself to her feet. "I've _got_ to go. _Now!"_

She made to walk off, when Teckla gripped her forearm sharply. "Wait a sec, where are you going?!" her friend demanded incredulously, blinking her large green eyes at her. "Have you gone _crazy_?! You can't _drive!_ "

Padme whirled around angrily, about to snap, because Anakin was lying in a hospital, possibly in critical condition, and she _needed_ to see him _**now**_ _,_ to be beside him and make sure that he was okay. She did _not_ have time to stand around arguing with Teckla about whether she was in the right state of mind to _drive._

"Anakin's in the _hospital!_ " she all but screamed, hysterically. "He – he had a… a – " she couldn't even get the words out, she was so worked up.

Teckla slowly released her arm, her entire expression softening into one of the sympathy. "Oh, Padme…I know. But…Honey, you've been drinking. You _can_ ' _t_ drive anywhere."

The logic of her friend's words _finally_ sunk in, and she bit her lip, frustrated at the truth. She couldn't drive. And, neither could Teckla, who'd had more to drink than Padme. "I'll get a taxi," she said brusquely, making to head off again, when Teckla frowned. It was the first time Padme had ever seen her young, excitable friend so serious.

"Uh-uh," she waggled a finger at her. "No _way_ am I going to let you get a taxi all by yourself. I mean, what if you pass out again? Huh? Nope. Not gonna happen."

Padme frowned at her friend's persistence, but knew she was right. Teckla had a point. It wasn't wise for her to be by herself in her current condition – she was _far_ too worked up. "I **need** to get to the hospital, Teckla!" she cried irritably. "Anakin could be _dying_ for all I know. You can't take me! And, neither can Dorme! So, a cab is really my _only_ option right now!" She was getting hysterical again, but she didn't care. _All_ she wanted was to make sure that Anakin was okay. She couldn't live with herself if he'd been critically injured, and she couldn't get to him. The last thing she'd said to him was that she didn't want to see him. If those had been her very last words to him…

The thought _terrified_ her.

"Wait, doesn't your dad live near campus?" Teckla suggested after a few minutes of awkward silence, interrupting her thoughts. "He could take you."

Of course! Why hadn't _Padme_ thought of that? It was the obvious solution.

Nodding her head quickly, she hurriedly retrieved her phone, and dialed her father's cell, all the while beaming at Teckla as though she had just discovered a new ancient civilization. "You're a gem!" she praised her gratefully, to which her friend merely returned her wide smile and winked, "I know."

" _Padme?_ " her father's voice echoed through the other end.

"Daddy," she greeted him earnestly. She hadn't called him 'Daddy' since she was a little girl, but she was desperate and needed all the help she could get at this point. Her father's weakest point was his daughters, no matter how hard he was on them. "I need you to take me to the hospital."

" _ **What?!**_ _"_ came his concerned response, immediately defensive and hot, and Padme realised it probably _wasn_ ' _t_ the best way to begin the conversation.

" _Are you okay? What's happened? Where are you?_ " Ruwee fired the questions at her relentlessly.

"I'm _fine,_ Dad," she assured him. "But… Anakin's had an accident and is in the hospital and I…I _have_ to go and see him!" The urgency in her voice is enough for her father to grumble a quick, " _Alright Sweetheart, I'll take you"_ before hanging up.

She stood there, waiting for him, all the while chewing on her fingernails, a habit she resorted to as a child when she was extremely nervous. Her mind was working overtime, replaying the events of the day through her head.

It was quite possibly the single _worst_ day of her **entire** life. Absolutely _nothing_ had gone to plan; instead, it had rapidly spiraled downhill, and _now_ , to make matters even worse, Anakin was in the hospital. _What_ was she supposed to do? Even though she'd said they shouldn't see each other for a while, she _couldn_ ' _t_ just leave him in the hospital all alone. He didn't have _any_ family in Boston…Padme was _it._ Besides, she loved him far _too_ much to just let him suffer, regardless of what had happened between them.

"How bad is it?" Teckla asked quietly from beside her, eyeing her cautiously.

Padme bit her lip and whimpered, shaking her head miserably. "I…I don't know. All I know is the police called me since I'm his emergency contact and said he'd been in a car accident and had been admitted to the hospital."

With a sigh, her friend placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and muttered, "Don't panic. I'm sure it's not too bad," she tried to reassure her. "They would have told you if it was critical, right?"

The word _critical_ was Padme's undoing, and suddenly a wave of emotion suffocated her until she couldn't breathe. What if it _was_ critical? What if Anakin was in a coma? She couldn't _bear_ the thought of seeing his lifeless form, wired up to various monitors and drips, without him even _knowing_ she was there.

The thought was _heartbreaking._

If he was in that bad of a condition, uncertain whether he was going to live or die, Padme didn't know _how_ she could possibly continue with her studies. The anxiety and grief would eat her alive.

Ten minutes later, her father arrived in his black Mercedes, and she hurriedly slid into the passenger seat and shut the door, urging her father to drive as fast as he could. She felt his eyes on her, scrutinizing her as she sat facing the window, chewing so relentlessly on her bottom lip that she was sure it was going to be red and raw by the end of the night. He wanted to ask her what was going on, but obviously, he could tell that she wasn't in the right frame of mind to talk right then. Padme was grateful for his forethought.

"You look lovely, Sweetheart," Ruwee commented quietly after several moments of silence.

Padme sniffled and looked over at him, the sad, proud smile on his face making her brighten just a little. "Thanks, Daddy."

"Can you tell me what happened, Padme?" he asked kindly.

Wiping her eyes, with the back of her hand, she shook her head. "I don't know, exactly," she confessed. It was the uncertainty of Anakin's fate that distressed her the most. She _needed_ to know that he was going to be okay, needed to _see_ it with her own eyes. "Anakin… he – he was in a car accident. He's in the hospital. That's all I know. That's all the police told me when they called me."

Ruwee reached over and took hold of her hand. "It's going to be alright, Sweetheart. Anakin is a strong, healthy young man. I'm _sure_ he'll be fine," he soothed her. Padme was struck by this sudden soft side of her father – the sternest man she'd ever known, one to rarely show his emotions. Sure, she knew that he loved her, and she definitely loved him, but they had a somewhat _rocky_ relationship ( _especially_ so since she'd been dating Anakin), and it surprised her to see him acting so… _compassionate..._ where Anakin was involved _._

"Don't worry yourself until you know for sure."

She only wished she could return his optimism.

Hours seemed to go by before they finally arrived at the hospital, and Padme wasted no time in leaping out of her father's car as soon as it was parked, and she all but sprinted towards the entrance, Ruwee struggling to keep up with her. Padme had never been to the hospital for all the four years that she'd been at Harvard, and whilst she was grateful for that fact, it also meant she had _no_ _idea_ where she was going. So, she did the only thing a grief-stricken, hysterical person would do – berate the receptionist.

"I **need** to see Anakin Skywalker!" she shouted once she reached the front desk, slamming her hands on the counter and staring at the receptionist with wide, frightened eyes.

The elderly woman peered up at her from behind a pair of thin-rimmed glasses, her expression far from impressed by Padme's outburst. " _Excuse_ _me_ , miss, but… **who** _are_ you?!"

Padme groaned. Of course, this poor woman was just doing her job, and _yes_ , she _was_ acting like a crazed lunatic, but all she wanted was to see Anakin, and she _didn't_ havetime to answer such mundane questions. "Padme Naberrie," she huffed impatiently, tapping her fingers against the counter. "I'm the I.C.E for Anakin Skywalker. I was contacted by emergency services. He was admitted here not long ago."

Clicking her tongue, the woman shifted through a pile of paperwork to her right and then typed away at her computer, and it took _all_ of Padme's willpower not to jump over the desk and search for the damn information herself. Eventually, the receptionist directed her towards Anakin's ward, and Padme quickly set off down the corridor to the elevator bays, dragging her poor father with her.

When they arrived outside Anakin's room, the nurse eyed them suspiciously. "Are you the family of Mr. Skywalker?" she asked.

By this stage, Padme's patience had whittled down to less than an inch, and she was about ready to explode. "His family is in _Minnesota!_ I'm his girlfriend, his I.C.E., and _all_ he has here in Boston!" she growled, crossing her arms aggressively over her chest and standing firm, glaring at the nurse to further make her point.

Immediately, the nurse softened her expression and gave her a kind smile. "Well then, you may visit him, dear. But, visiting hours close in 45 minutes; so, I'm afraid you won't have long."

Nodding her head, she swallowed the lump of anxiety that settled in her throat and stepped inside the room.

He was awake. Thank goodness!

The sheer _relief_ that engulfed her when she saw Anakin, lying on the hospital bed, propped up by a large, fluffy white pillow, and staring directly at _her_ was enough to make tears prick at her eyes again. Anakin was awake and _alive,_ and she let out a strangled sob of _happiness_. He was smiling at her, a small, sleepy smile, and his eyes were half-hooded, giving him a sort of dopey appearance, which Padme assumed was because of the painkillers. There was a small rectangular dressing over the far edge of his right eye, but other than that, his face looked fairly unscathed.

She quickly set about evaluating the rest of him. Her eyes raked over his form, and saw, to her horror, his right arm heavily bandaged in a sling. An IV drip was attached to his left arm. The rest of his body was concealed underneath heavy blankets. Her bottom lip quivered as she made to approach him, when Ruwee coughed suddenly.

She hadn't even realized her father had followed her in the room.

Padme glanced back curiously at her father, who smiled sadly at them both. "I'll leave you two alone. I'll be outside if you need me."

Nodding her head, she watched her father leave before turning her attention back to Anakin. "Oh, _Ani_ ," she sighed tearfully, moving to stand beside his bed. She longed to reach out and stroke his damp curls that clung to his forehead, but couldn't make herself move.

"Angel, you came," he muttered softly, and the honest surprise in his voice was completely _heartbreaking_. As though he hadn't expected her to come see him.

 _Oh, Anakin,_ _ **what**_ _have I done to you?!_

Sniffing back the tears that threatened to burst forth, she nodded her head earnestly. "Of _course_ , I came, Ani."

His left hand twitched, itching for her touch, and so, she reached out and softly entwined her fingers with his. He squeezed her hand gently. His skin felt freezing. Such an alarming contrast to his usual warmth that Padme frequently indulged in when they were together. He gestured for her to sit down next to him, and she gingerly sat on the bed, beside his outstretched legs, taking care not to rock him, for she didn't know how many injuries he had underneath the blankets and didn't want to cause him any further pain.

"Anakin, what _happened_?!" She asked, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

He didn't respond right away. Instead, he flicked his gaze down to their entwined hands, watching as he ran his thumb delicately across her knuckles. There was almost a certain _reverence_ in the act, as though he couldn't believe he was _allowed_ to touch her, as though it was the _last_ time she would _let_ him. As much as it broke Padme's heart to acknowledge it, she supposed that he was right, in a sense, to assume that. She _had_ basically broken up with him.

Sort of.

"After our…fight," he mumbled quietly, still refusing to meet her eyes. "I got a taxi and…well, some idiot ran a red light and T-boned us. A broken arm and four broken ribs later, I'm in here." He gave a feeble chuckle, a little delusional with the pain medicine, and Padme's breath hitched in horror. _Four broken ribs?!_ "Oh, yeah," he added as an afterthought. "I almost lost my right eye, too."

Her gaze flicked up to the bandage over his right eye, and she whimpered. Her poor Ani. He'd been so, _so_ lucky, and she sent a silent prayer of gratitude up to God, or Fate, or whoever would listen, thanking them for sparing his life. "Anakin…" She wanted nothing more than to kiss him, to relish the fact that he was alive and breathing and still had _all_ of his body parts, even though he was significantly injured.

He still hadn't looked at her. "S'alright," he continued in a low voice. "The driver is a lot worse off than I am."

Padme squeezed his hand fiercely. "Ani, _why_ were you in a taxi? Where were you _going?!_ " She thought she knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from _him._

It was then that he finally looked up at her. She'd _never_ seen his eyes look so lost before – that beautiful blue she loved _so_ much was forlorn and somewhat distant. It made her physically ache. "The airport," was his simple answer.

"Oh my _god,_ " she sobbed, shaking her head in disbelief as a waterfall of tears spilled down her cheeks. The _airport._ He'd gone back to the airport, to go back to Chicago, because she'd told him she didn't want to see him anymore! This was all _her_ fault! He was here, in this hospital bed, with a broken arm, broken ribs and a cut over his eye because of _her!_ Because she had told him to leave. If she hadn't, it wouldn't have happened. _This_ wouldn't have happened.

The guilt made her feel physically ill, and she paled, her entire body going numb. "Oh, _Ani_ …" she wailed. "I'm _so_ sorry! It's **all** my fault – _all my fault._ " She removed her hand from his grip and slumped over, sobbing into her hands, her emotions getting the better of her once again.

" **No**!" Anakin growled fiercely and winced as he reached out to her with his good arm, taking her wrist in his firm grip and yanking it away from her face. "This _isn_ ' _t_ your fault. Don't you even _say_ that, Padme. _None_ of this is **your fault!** " She met his blazing stare, and it pierced right through her soul. It was so intense that she almost shrunk under it, but somehow, she couldn't look away.

Sniffling, she shook her head. "Ani, if I hadn't… then _you_ wouldn't have… you wouldn't be _here_ if it wasn't for me."

Anakin frowned sternly. "You had _every right_ to do what you did, Angel. If _anyone_ is to blame for this, it's me. It's **all** on me **.** I brought this on myself."

"Don't say that, Anakin," she told him. "You didn't ask to get into a car accident. You didn't deserve _this!_ "

He merely exhaled miserably. "Didn't I? Padme, I… I _assaulted_ him. I lost control of my temper, and I – I could have done some real lasting damage." Regret trembled in his voice, and she _knew_ that he felt truly terrible for what he'd done to Clovis. It gave her hope that maybe they could work through this, given time.

She couldn't deny the truth of his words, so she simply shook her head. "Regardless of what you did, you didn't deserve _this_ , Anakin. You're a good person at heart. I _know_ you are."

Sighing, he withdrew his hand, letting it fall limply by his side. "I'm not as good as you think I am, Angel," he admitted sadly. "I'm a – I'm a _monster._ "

" _No_ , Ani!" she reached out and stroked his hair fondly, before cupping his cheek, forcing him to look at her. "Don't say that. You're _not_ a monster. You're _not_. You're brilliant and sweet and charming and wonderful, and **I** **love** **you** , I love you so, _so much,_ Anakin _._ " Despite all he had done, despite _everything_ , that much she knew to still be true. She loved Anakin deeply, and she suspected she always would.

His eyes grew moist at her words, and she could see the _shame_ swimming there in those gorgeous pools of blue. _Oh_ , how she wanted to rid him of his agony. Knowing Anakin, he would beat himself up about this for _months_. Of course, what he'd done was wrong, in every sense of the word, and Padme wouldn't stand for such behaviour. But, she _hated_ seeing him like this. She wanted to fix him, to help him, to work through this together and get passed it, so they could move on to better, more happier times... _together._

" _You shouldn't_ ," he muttered darkly under his breath. "I'm no good for you, Padme. I'm not _safe._ "

"Yes, you are," she retorted stubbornly.

He scowled at her, jerking away from her touch. "No. I'm _not!_ " he insisted. "I'm dangerous. Unstable. I could – I could hurt _you_ , Angel."

"You wouldn't," she sobbed and shook her head, several tears dripping down her nose onto her lap. "I _know_ you wouldn't, Anakin. _Why_ are you doing this to yourself?"

"Because you deserve better!" he raised his voice, shouting at her, and she flinched a little at the sudden rise in volume. The way he was looking at her, it was half-crazed, eyes wide, jaw set. She'd _never_ seen him like this. He looked so _pained_ , so full of self-hate and loathing and _disgust_ at himself, and all she wanted to do was take him in her arms and kiss away his sorrow. "You're so perfect, and I'm a fucking _mess!_ You deserve someone who's _whole!_ Not me – I'm a disaster, Padme. A complete fucking disaster."

"Ani – "

" – no, you need to listen to me!" he yelled over the top of her. Tears of frustration rolled down his cheeks. "You don't understand. It's in my _blood!_ "

She blinked at him, suddenly confused. " _What_ on earth are you talking about?!" she asked, completely bewildered by his sudden outburst. What did he mean by it was 'in his blood'?

He swallowed and closed his eyes, exhaling deeply through his nose. Padme watched him, suddenly very scared for him. His fist was clenched tight, so tight that the skin stretched almost painfully across his knuckles and turned white. He was shaking a little – whether from rage or sorrow or shock, she didn't know.

"There's something you don't know…" he whispered, voice deathly quiet, and Padme had to lean closer in order to hear him properly. "About – about my… _father._ " The word came out like a hiss, strained and full of malice.

 _Father?!_ What was he talking about?

Anakin didn't have a father – he'd told her that he'd left once Shmi had fallen pregnant, leaving her to raise Anakin all by herself. He didn't even _know_ his father. Padme raised this question, feeling more confused than ever.

Anakin only sighed. "I lied," he confessed after a moment. "Mom told me to lie about him. To say, if anyone ever asked, that I didn't know him. That he left before I was born. That he never existed in our lives."

Padme blinked at him with wide eyes. " _Why?_ " She asked the burning question that plagued her conscience. When he met her gaze again, his eyes were shimmering in fury, and there was a deep hatred resonating within him. Padme could practically _feel_ it seeping out of his very skin. Suddenly, she was a little worried about what the answer to her question would be.

"He was…He was a _monster_ ," Anakin hissed angrily, his eyes narrowed into slits. "He would – _no_ , I can't say…"

She took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "It's alright, Ani. You can tell _me_ ," she encouraged him sweetly.

Nodding his head, he swallowed, and took a shaky breath, staring down at his lap. "He was a _very_ violent man, Angel. Demanding. Mean. Hateful. Mom and I were in constant fear of him for _years._ If he had a bad day at work, or was in a bad mood, or if was drunk, he'd take it out on her. He would…" She watched as a tear dripped down the end of his nose, and she rubbed her thumb across his knuckles, giving him all the support he needed. "He would… _beat her up_ , Padme…" He whispered, voice deathly quiet, and Padme's breath hitched at his admission, her eyes widening in shock.

 _Poor, sweet, gentle Shmi._

Padme didn't know what to say. What _could_ she possibly say? It was awful. It was horrible. _No one_ deserved that kind of treatment. She felt _sick_ to the core.

"He'd make me _watch,_ " he snarled in absolute disgust. "He'd sit me down and tell me, 'Look, Son, _this_ is what happens when you disobey _me_ ' and then he'd force me to watch as he…he – " Anakin broke off as his voice was choked by a sob. He hung his head, his entire body shuddering, and her own eyes filled with tears at the sight of him.

"When I was about eight or nine, I tried standing up to him, y'know? I was _sick_ of watching him abuse my Mom and have to sit there and do _nothing!_ " his voice quivered. "But, he was so much bigger than me… I was only a kid – and I ended up in the hospital…Mom was _hysterical!_ It was – " he paused, swallowed, then continued, all the while staring at his lap. Padme didn't pressure him. He _needed_ to do this in his own time, in his own way. "It was the last straw for her. She…well, I didn't really know how it all worked out, but there were court hearings and all sorts of horrible things. Took about a year, but eventually my father was locked away, and Mom and I were relocated to Minnesota by the authorities." Eventually, he looked up at her.

"That's when I met you."

It grew silent between them. Padme didn't know what to make of any of it. _Poor Shmi. Poor Ani._ How could two such wonderfully good people be caught up in such horrific events? It wasn't fair! So, she simply kept hold of his hand, sending all her sympathy and compassion and love for him through that one simple action.

"Oh, _Ani_ ," she whispered. "I'm _so_ sorry." He gave her a weak smile. " _Why_ didn't you – why didn't you _tell_ me?"

"Because of Mom. She said it was better if we just pretended it never happened. So, I honored her wishes."

Of course.

The _only_ person Anakin loved more than Padme was his mother. If she'd told him to keep it a secret, he'd do it. He'd do _anything_ for her.

"I wish I could have protected her," he said after a few minutes. "I couldn't. I couldn't help her! She endured so much, and I just _watched_ her!"

"Ani, you were a child! What _could_ you have done?"

"I wanted to kill him." His voice was low and dark and dangerous. The amount of honesty in his words made her freeze. He was _completely_ serious, she could tell. If he'd been older, perhaps, he probably would have _succeeded_. Of course, she didn't blame him for feeling so strongly. It was natural to want to protect the ones you loved. And, after witnessing such prolonged trauma at such a young age, she now understood.

But, it was _more_ than that. Suddenly, Padme understood _everything._ _Why_ he was the way he was. It all made perfect _sense._ Anakin felt like he couldn't protect his mother, so he vowed that he wouldn't be a bystander anymore. When he'd seen that poor man being beaten by his peers when he was sixteen, he was physically _unable_ to do nothing. He wanted to _protect_ that poor teacher.

And now, with Clovis. Anakin had wanted to protect Padme – Clovis had mistreated her, maybe not in a physical sense necessarily, but in an emotional sense, he had, and Anakin couldn't **not** do _nothing_. He was severely traumatised from his horrific childhood – of all the times he'd watched his father abuse Shmi. And, whilst it wasn't right to act out in violence, Padme found that she now _understood_.

"I vowed then, when I was nine years old, that I'd never let _anything_ happen to my mother again. That I'd do _everything_ I could to protect her – to protect the people I love. But, I'm…" he bit his lip, pleading at her with his eyes, and Padme couldn't look away from his intoxicating gaze. Even here, broken and damaged and so very troubled, he was still so beautiful.

Perhaps, it made him even _more_ beautiful in her eyes. "I'm turning into _him._ " He shuddered as a tremor wracked through him, and there was _fear_ in his voice, his expression. He was afraid. Afraid of becoming his father. "I _hate_ him, Padme, but I'm…I'm just like him. I lose control…I'm _dangerous._ "

She gave him a sad smile and shuffled closer to him, so she was sitting by his head. Her hand reached out and gently brushed his hair away from his face, before cupping his cheeks in both hands. "Ani, you're _nothing_ like your father," she assured him softly. "You want to _protect_ those you love, not hurt them…protect in the only way _you_ know how. You were _traumatised,_ Anakin. No _wonder_ you are so protective of your mother…of me!"

"But… but look what I _did!_ " he exclaimed. "This isn't the first time I've done this, Padme. I get so angry…I _can_ ' _t_ control myself, and then I just… _explode!_ " He looked terrified, but she simply pressed a finger over his lips.

"Shhh," she hushed him sweetly. "Ani, did you ever get therapy? I mean, have you _ever_ talked to someone…a _professional_ , about your past?"

He shook his head no.

"I think you should," she told him wisely. "It would help you, I think, to get past your anger. To get past your _guilt._ "

"Guilt?" he raised his eyebrows in confusion.

Padme nodded. "I'm no expert, but to _me_ , it seems like you're holding onto a lot of guilt for what happened to your mother." When he didn't say anything, she continued. "But, it wasn't _your fault_ , Anakin. You _couldn_ ' _t_ have helped her, no matter how much you _wanted_ to. _It_ ' _s_ _ **not**_ _your fault._ " She bent to rest her forehead against his, staring deep into his eyes, watching as tears clung to his long, thick eyelashes.

"Angel…" he reached up with his good hand and stroked her hair in such a sweet, loving gesture that made her smile. "I'm sorry. For being so… _damaged._ You deserve so much better than me."

"Stop it," she hissed at him, gripping his face fiercely. " _Stop_ saying that, Anakin. _I love you_. _Nothing_ you could say is **ever** going to change that. I love you, and I'm going to help you." And, then she kissed him, pouring all of her sorrow, her grief, her endless love into that kiss, trying to make him understand that she wasn't going to abandon him. Not _now._ Not _ever._ He needed help, but what kind of person would she be if she didn't stick by his side? _For_ _better_ _or_ _for_ _worse_.

Her sister had always told her she had a 'thing' for charity cases, for fixing people, and even though she _hated_ that word, perhaps Sola had been right. Padme _wanted_ to help Anakin, and whether that was because she loved him or because she had some sort of 'Mother Teresa' complex, or maybe even _both,_ she was _going_ to help him. They were _going_ to get through this, together.

"Miss Naberrie," the nurse's voice interrupted their intimate moment and Padme pulled away, her cheeks wet from her tears. "Visiting hours are over. I'm afraid you'll have to leave now."

She shook her head adamantly. "No!" she cried. "I can't leave him. He _needs_ me. _Please!_ "

The nurse gave her a sad smile. "Miss Naberrie, I can't let you – "

"I won't be any trouble," Padme insisted. "I'll just be right here. You won't even know I'm here. _Please!_ " She glanced back down at Anakin, who was smiling at her as though she was the only person in the whole world.

The nurse took pity on them and sighed. " _Fine._ My boss is going to kill me for this, but alright. I'll let you stay just this once." She changed Anakin's fluids and redressed the bandage over his eye, before turning out the light and leaving.

Padme stayed sitting next to Anakin, gripping his hand tightly as the morphine kicked in, and he drifted off to sleep. She watched his blissful face, admiring how _innocent_ he looked when he was asleep.

"Don't worry, Ani," she whispered into the night. "I'm here. I'll always be here. I'm not going anywhere."

Leaning forward, she pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead and then manoeuvred herself so that she was curled up next to him, her right hand entwined in his left one, her head leaning against his shoulder. After all the drama that had occurred that day, she draped his blankets over her legs, and was asleep in seconds.


	26. Chapter 26

_**A/N: Hey lovely readers :) so, it's getting to exam time and I've got two big assignments due in a couple of weeks, so I'm afraid I won't be updating this for a while until they're out of the way. Sorry, but university calls :) Please enjoy! xx**_

* * *

 **Chapter 26**

A blunt ache in her neck roused Padme from her sleep, and she yawned, slowly sitting up from where she had been resting beside Anakin with her head on his shoulder. Grimacing, she rolled her neck; it was stiff from her uncomfortable sleeping position, and she stretched out her limbs. It definitely hadn't been the _best_ sleep of her life, but she'd been with Anakin, and that was all that mattered.

She drew her attention back to him as he lay beside her, his mouth parted adorably as he snored quietly. He looked so peaceful, so innocent and _young_ , as though everything that had happened the day before ceased to exist. A fond smile danced across her lips as she studied him, and she couldn't help but reach out and stroke his hair softly, taking care not to wake him. Though, with all the morphine in his system, she doubted he would.

A few moments later, a nurse entered the ward, a different nurse from the night before, and she glanced at Padme in confusion. Padme sat up and smiled at her, as though nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Hello," the nurse said slowly, eyeing her with suspicion. "Who are you?"

"I'm his I.C.E," Padme explained, matter-of-factly. The amount of scepticism she'd received since she'd been here was _beyond_ ridiculous. What was so terribly wrong with wanting to be with Anakin whilst he was recovering? There wasn't anything sinister in it, yet it was like she was planning to stage a breakout.

The nurse simply nodded her head and smiled, suddenly a lot warmer towards Padme than before, and approached the bed. "I'm just here to check Mr. Skywalker's medication and pain levels," she announced, her gaze drifting down to Anakin's sleeping form.

Nodding her head in understanding, Padme bent lower towards Anakin and kissed his forehead softly, right between his brows. "Ani…" she whispered in his ear. "Ani, time to wake up." Her hand come up to brush his hair and stroke his cheek, all the while she continued calling to him quietly, coaxing him awake.

Eventually, he began to stir and uttered a low groan. His eyes fluttered open slowly, trying to focus, before they fixed on her face, and he gave her a small, dopey smile. "Padme…" he muttered groggily and blinked his eyes a few times, disorientated. She felt his fingers twitch beside her thigh, where she was sitting, and she took his left hand with hers, twining their fingers together.

He was _so_ utterly adorable as he lay there, that Padme couldn't do anything but beam down at him. She wanted to take a picture and record it to memory of the way he was looking at her – like she was his sun, his reason to live, his very _life force_. She continued to play with his hair sweetly with her other hand, overcome with loving affection and greeted him softly, "Morning, Ani."

She longed to kiss him, and probably _would_ have if the nurse hadn't moved in beside the bed, rearranging his IV drip. "How are you feeling today, Mr. Skywalker?" she asked him, as she carefully peeled off the bandage over his right eye, revealing a series of neat little stiches that stretched from the top of his brow to the start of his cheekbone.

He flicked his eyes up to the nurse and bit the inside of his cheek, as though he wasn't sure how he was feeling. Suddenly, he frowned. "Hungry." The answer was so unexpected that Padme burst out laughing. Of course. Despite the fact that he had four broken ribs, a broken arm and stiches over his eye, the _only_ thing Anakin cared about was _food_. It was so typical and so _classic Anakin_.

It was almost comical.

The nurse, however, didn't find it anywhere _near_ as amusing, and clicked her tongue. "Your _pain_ , Mr. Skywalker. How is your _pain?_ " she reiterated with a huff, and Padme and Anakin shared an amused smirk between them.

"M'fine," he insisted immediately. "Fit as a fiddle. You can discharge me right now."

Padme stared at him incredulously – surely the morphine had made him delusional! There was no _way_ he would be discharged today. To make a point, he tried to sit up, pushing against the bed with his good arm, but he let out a loud groan of pain and clenched his eyes shut, hissing violent curses through his teeth and immediately fell back onto the pillow. He clutched his chest, where his broken ribs were, and Padme merely frowned at him, partially concerned and partially apathetic. The nurse seemed unfazed by his display and merely changed his IV, upping the dosage of his pain medication.

"I'll bring you some breakfast, Mr. Skywalker," she said, before leaving the room.

When she was gone, Padme sighed and fixed him with a pointed look. "That was stupid, Anakin," she scolded him. "You could have punctured a lung!"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm _fine_ , Padme," he insisted stubbornly.

She crossed her arms. "Yes, that was _definitely_ the reaction of someone who is completely _fine_ and uninjured," she shot back, arching one eyebrow. He could be ridiculously pig-headed sometimes.

"It's just a few broken ribs, Angel. I'm not going to _die._ But, I might if I don't eat _something_ soon! I'm fucking _starving_!" he complained dramatically, staring at her, blue eyes wide. "I haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday...on the plane ride here!"

Padme only sighed in disbelief and shook her head. Really, he was being overly melodramatic; as though having not eaten for an entire day was the _worst_ thing that could _ever_ happen to him, and not being in a car accident, breaking four ribs and almost losing an eye. "I think you've got your priorities mixed up."

"No. I don't."

"The nurse is bringing you some breakfast, Ani," she reminded him with a bemused smile. "Just be patient, alright?"

Anakin grumbled under his breath and nodded reluctantly, so Padme bent over and kissed his mouth gently in an attempt to sate him. It worked. He slid his good arm up her side to cup her jaw as he moved his lips against hers. There was an underlying _hunger_ in his kiss, Padme could feel it, as though he hadn't kissed her in _years,_ and Padme basked in his desperation, and touched her tongue to his, equally desperate. He devoured her, and she let him, because he _needed_ this.

So did she.

After everything that had happened yesterday, he was _hungry_ for _her_. She'd almost slipped through his fingers, and he'd almost been killed. That alone was enough to spark an intense desire in both of them, and when they finally broke apart for air, both were breathing heavily, chests heaving, eyes darkened with need.

Anakin ran his hand through her hair in such a gentle action that made Padme close her eyes at his touch. "I almost lost you yesterday," he whispered sadly.

She bit her lip and caught his hand, covering it with her own. "I almost lost **_you_** _...forever_ ," she countered, voice trembling with the truth of it.

"Never again," he said fiercely, his blue eyes sharp and intense, burning into her own. "I _promise_ you, Angel. I'm _never_ going to make you want to leave me ever again. I _swear it._ "

" _Ani_ …" she pressed a sweet kiss to his palm, her eyes never leaving his. "I'm not going anywhere." Her vow was solemn and true.

The smile he gave her in return was blinding in its beauty. Padme squeezed his hand in reassurance, reiterating her promise. Surely this was just a test, a challenge, to see how much she truly loved Anakin, and she'd come out on top. Her love for _him_ was stronger than anything, the only thing that matched it was _his_ love for _her_. No matter what life threw at them, Padme _knew_ she would be exactly where she was, right beside Anakin, where she belonged. To her, **he** was _home._

"That's gonna leave an impressive scar," she said after a few minutes, flicking her eyes up to the stiches next to his eye. It looked quite deep. He'd been lucky not to lose his eye. At the thought, she reached out with her hand, delicately tracing around the stiches, as they pulled his skin tight across the angry, red line.

Smirking, Anakin winked, all arrogant and smug. "Reckon it'll make me look even _sexier_ , in that rugged, manly sort of way, don't you think?"

She rolled her eyes at his statement. "You're so full of yourself sometimes, you know that, right?"

He shrugged. "Hey, don't deny it. You think it'll look sexy on me." He waggled his eyebrows at her, and she shook her head, unable to keep from laughing at him.

" _Sure,_ Ani, whatever you say," she quipped back, flashing him a smirk, which made him widen his eyes in mock horror.

"Well, if _that's_ how you feel," he clutched his hand to his chest, "then maybe I should just fly back to Chicago. I'm sure I could find a girl _there_ who will agree with me."

Padme scowled, a spike of jealousy rousing inside her at his teasing words. "You're not going _anywhere_ , Mister," she told him firmly. "You're **mine** , Anakin Skywalker. You belong to _me_." She fixed him with a firm stare.

Her sudden ferociousness surprised her, but it only made Anakin grin smugly, and he reached out for her forearm, tugging her forward towards his mouth. "Good answer," he whispered, then kissed her soundly. This time, she held back none of her former reservations, regardless of the fact that they were in a public place. Her hands cupped his face, and she kissed him forcefully, almost angrily, letting all of her emotions spill out into that one kiss.

Unfortunately, his sore ribs protested, and Anakin let out a low groan of pain.

Padme stopped the kiss abruptly, and sat up, staring at him in horror. "Oh, _god_ , I'm so sorry, Ani," she gushed, her eyes scanning his body, darting down to his chest then back up to his face. "Are you alright? God, I'm so _careless…_ "

Anakin only smiled at her and shook his head. "It's alright, Padme. I'm fine. It was my fault anyway, I just got a bit… _carried away."_ He grinned mischievously at her. "It's hard to remember that I've got to be careful right now when you're so beautiful. I want you so bad it _hurts._ " It was then she noticed the flicker of desire swimming in his blue eyes, the way he raked over her form with an almost predatory gaze. She whimpered softly under the heat of it and summoned her self control.

Rolling her eyes, she tried for playfulness. "Anakin, you're in the hospital! Sex should be the _last_ thing on your mind right now. You can't even move!"

He raised his eyebrow. "Angel, sex with you is _always_ on my mind... ** _Always_** ," he muttered, low and husky and sexy, and Padme felt goose pimples prickle on her skin and a warm blush heat her face at his ardent declaration.

Thankfully, she was spared from giving a response by the return of the nurse, with a breakfast tray for Anakin. She plopped it down on the rolling stand in front of him and informed him that his arm would be getting put into a hard cast shortly. Once she was gone, Padme helped Anakin by lifting off the hood of the tray. He turned his nose up immediately when he noticed that all they'd given him was oatmeal and some black coffee. He groaned and glanced up at her with a disgusted look on his face.

"What? I thought you were hungry?" Padme reminded him as he pouted up at her.

"I _am_ ," he grumbled. "But not for _oatmeal_. I hate oatmeal. It's disgusting."

She sighed. "Stop being a drama queen, Anakin. It's not going to kill you."

"It might," he eyed the bowl of oatmeal sceptically, as though it was suddenly going to come alive and attack him. "I mean, just some toast and jelly would be fine. _Anything_ really. But not…" He shuddered.

"Oh my _god,_ you're _such_ a baby!" She cried at him, shaking her head in amusement. "I feel sorry for the nurses having to take care of you."

"I'd much rather have _you_ take care of me," he purred seductively, and she fixed him with a pointed look.

"Yeah, well that's _not_ going to happen... Not unless you eat your damn breakfast and stop whining."

He frowned petulantly, but picked up his spoon and slowly brought it up to his mouth, rather clumsily as he was using his left hand. The face he made once he swallowed was so hilarious that Padme couldn't help but laugh at him. He could be _such_ a child sometimes, and as annoying as it was, she also found it rather endearing.

Whilst he was eating his breakfast, Padme went outside and called her father. He'd gone home after dropping her at the hospital last night, but seeing as Anakin was about to get his arm put in a cast, she felt it was the right time for her to go home, have a shower and get out of her clothes from last night. When she checked herself over in her phone camera, she groaned at how awful she looked. Her makeup had run, giving her panda eyes, and her hair was a tangled mess, no longer the luscious curls that she had styled so elegantly last night. With a sigh, she did her best to tame it, before dialling her father.

He picked up on the second ring. " _Hello, Padme. How is Anakin?"_

Again, she was struck by his consideration for her boyfriend, knowing how much he disapproved of their relationship and having not been shy in expressing his views. "He's alright," she replied. "Broken arm and four broken ribs, but he should be out of the hospital in a couple of days. He's getting his arm put in a cast today."

 _"_ _Well, I'm glad to hear he's not too seriously injured. And, how are you, Sweetheart?"_

"Better, Dad," she conceded. Compared to yesterday, she felt so much lighter, far less anxious. "I'm sorry I was so… _crazy_ yesterday."

" _Don't be sorry, Padme_ " her father told her. _"You were worried about Anakin. I understand."_

"Thanks, Dad." Her face lit up in a broad smile at his words. "Would I be able to ask a favour? Could you come and pick me up from the hospital? I really need to get home, have a shower and get out of these clothes."

 _"_ _Of course. I don't have to teach until this afternoon. I'll be there shortly."_

"You're the best, Daddy. I really appreciate it!"

Ruwee laughed into the phone. _"Of course, Sweetheart. Anytime. Bye."_

He hung up, and Padme smiled. Even if he _was_ strict in his views and rather _stiff_ , he loved her and would do anything for her. Really, she could understand why he was so protective of her. She was his baby girl, his youngest daughter, and what father _didn_ ' _t_ want the best for their daughters? Even if they didn't see eye to eye on every matter – namely _Anakin_ – Padme never doubted for a moment her father's love for her. He proved it time and time again, coming to her aid when she needed it the most.

Anakin noticed her happy expression when she re-entered the room and peered at her curiously. "What are you so pleased about?" He asked through a mouthful of oatmeal.

Padme perched on the side of his bed and smiled. "Dad's picking me up soon," she informed him, before her eyes flicked to his half-eaten breakfast. "Wow, you _really_ don't like oatmeal do you?" She knew from experience how much and how fast Anakin was capable of eating, and was surprised at how untouched his food looked.

His expression contorted into a frown. "No. I really _don't_. I _told_ you that, Padme," he huffed.

She reached out and took his hand, running her fingers soothingly over his knuckles. "Duly noted. Well, how about I bring you something when I come back this afternoon, hmm?" she suggested brightly. "I could smuggle you in a Big Mac and some fries," she added with a wink, hoping to win him over.

It worked.

His eyes widened considerably, and he stared at her, surprised. "You'd _really_ do that for me?" he uttered in awed disbelief. "You'd smuggle in _food?"_ When she nodded, he only gaped at her. "Are you even _allowed_ to do that? I mean, you're too much of a goody-two-shoes to break the rules, Angel," he taunted with a smirk.

"Fine," she huffed, crossing her arms at his tease. "If you don't want it, then I won't do it. Suit yourself."

He caught her fingers in his fist, squeezing them tightly. "I didn't say I didn't want it," he said seriously. "I'm just… _surprised_ you would do something like that.."

"Of course, I would, Ani," she countered with a wide smile. " _Anything_ to make you stop complaining."

His grin was wolfish as he laced his fingers with hers. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?" he whispered softly.

"Mmm," she hummed, bending over so her lips were inches from his, wafting hot air over his face. "I can't remember. Remind me again?"

He stretched his neck to kiss her lips softly, tongue flicking out to trace her bottom lip in such an erotically charged way that she shuddered. "I can't _wait_ 'til I get out of here," he whispered into her mouth. "So, I can remind you _properly_."

She smiled. "I look forward to it."

"Padme?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you also bring me a large mocha frappe, too?" he added with a sly grin. " _Pretty please?"_

" _Ani..."_ she rolled her eyes and laughed. "Oh, _alright_..." she said with a shake of her head at his cute little pout and puppy dog eyes, causing him to grin wider.

Ruwee arrived a few moments later and texted Padme to let her know, and she said goodbye to Anakin, giving him another loving kiss, promising that she'd be back later, and then walked out to her father's car. It felt strange to be out in public when she was still dressed so elegantly from her class function, which had quickly turned into a disaster. It made her feel like she was some sort of paid _escort_ , returning home after a night of work, and she hurriedly walked to the car and slid into the front passenger seat as covertly as possible, so no one would see her...or Ruwee.

She thanked her father again for the ride home, expressing how grateful she was, but he brushed off her gratitude with a kind smile. "Always, Sweetheart," her assured her sweetly, and she couldn't resist leaning over and pecking him lightly on the cheek, her heart swelling with affection. She'd have to make it up to him somehow, she vowed.

By the time she arrived home, Dorme was slowly crawling out of bed, which was late, even for _her_. She yawned and blinked, bleary eyed, at Padme as she stumbled into the kitchen to make some coffee, muttering a sleepy, "good morning." Padme laughed and shook her head. Her roommate was terrible in the mornings and could rarely function properly before 10 am. It was a wonder how she _ever_ made it to her 9 am classes, but it usually involved several large cups of coffee and a lot of swearing.

Deciding to leave Dorme to herself, as she'd clearly had a big night, Padme went into the bathroom and stripped and had a long hot shower, before getting out and throwing her wet hair up into a messy bun on top of her head. Face clean and devoid of makeup, she dressed casually in a pair of sweats and one of Anakin's sweaters that he'd left behind the last time he'd visited. It might have been silly and cliché, but Padme _adored_ wearing his clothes around the house, particularly his sweaters. There was just something so _comforting_ about them, the way they hung off her petite frame, the way they smelled like his cologne. She'd taken to wearing them around the apartment frequently, and even though they were too often apart, it felt like he was there, with her, wrapping her up in his strong arms, and she loved it.

By the time she went back out into the kitchen, Dorme was more awake, though only _barely,_ sitting at the kitchen counter looking more worse for wear and cradling her mug of coffee like it was a newborn baby. "Morning," Padme greeted her brightly, and Dorme only grunted. "Had a big night last night, huh?"

Dorme yawned and nodded her head slowly. "Didn't get home 'til, like..4 am."

Smirking, Padme laughed. "Were you at Trey's?"

"No. We went to dinner, then he took me to a bar afterwards. We shared a cab home, and then he just walked me up to the front door, kissed me goodnight and told me he had a really great time, and he'd call me." Dorme frowned. "Like, what the _fuck?_ I bought all this new lingerie for nothing!"

Padme gave her best friend a sympathetic smile and sat down beside her. "Well, maybe he wants to start things over with you. You know, date you. _Properly._ I mean, you guys had a good time, right?"

A shy little smile crept upon Dorme's lips, and she ran her finger around the lip of her mug. "Well, _yeah_ , we did. It was _really_ good, actually. I didn't realize how much we had in common until last night. Like, we don't normally talk a whole lot when we're…well... y'know?"

"Well, that doesn't sound all that bad to me," Padme reassured her. "Just wait. I'm sure he'll call you."

Dorme seemed to brighten up a little and took another sip of her coffee. "Where were _you_ last night?" she asked through a yawn. "How come you didn't come home from your function? You didn't…oh _god,_ you didn't _sleep_ with _someone_ , did you?!" she asked suddenly, eyes growing wide.

Padme recoiled in disgust at the very _thought_ of sleeping with another man who wasn't Anakin, and she shook her head furiously. The idea was mortifying. "What?! **NO**! Of course _not_ , Dorme! How could you even _suggest_ that?!"

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry!" Dorme raised her hands up in surrender. "Just...you come home this morning, in what you wore last night, with makeup all down your face and your hair a mess…well, it sorta looks like the aftermath of a one night stand from where I'm sitting."

Padme sighed and nodded. It _did_ look rather suspicious, she had to admit. "No. Anakin was in a car accident last night," she explained in a small sad voice. "He was in a taxi, heading to the airport, when they were T-boned by a driver running a red light."

Dorme gasped and gaped at her, horrified. "Oh my _god_! Is he alright?!"

Padme nodded her head slowly. "Yeah, it's not _too_ bad. Broken arm and a few broken ribs, and a nasty gash over his right eye, but other than that, he's okay. I spent all last night in the hospital with him."

"I'm sorry, Padme," Dorme said as she reached out and took her friend's hand. "How are you coping with all of this? That's a pretty shitty day, to be honest."

The undeniable truth of it made Padme laugh. It _had_ been a shitty day. The worst day of her life actually. So much had happened, and while she was still dealing with the aftermath of that, at least it was a new day. "I'm exhausted," she admitted and flopped down on the seat opposite Dorme. "I could sleep for a week."

Dorme chuckled light-heartedly. "I don't blame you. When are you going back to see Anakin?"

She shrugged. "This afternoon sometime. He's getting his arm cast on this morning, so there's no point in me being there all day."

"Well, then, take the day off," Dorme advised. "Don't go to class. Make yourself some coffee and eat a block of chocolate and take a nap."

"I think I might do just that," Padme grinned at her. "But, first, I need your help." When Dorme raised her eyebrow, intrigued, she continued, "I need to go shopping."

" _Shopping?_ "

"Yes," Padme nodded, a wicked grin spreading on her face. "Shopping. For... _lingerie_ ," she dropped her voice, low and sly, and she didn't miss the proud grin that curled her best friend's lips. "Seeing as you're the expert, of course."

"Well, I _certainly_ know how to find a bargain," Dorme admitted and puffed up her chest, all smug. " _This_ is going to be _great!_ My sweet little P, _finally_ becoming a woman. I can show you a whole new world of exciting things, Girlfriend!"

Padme rolled her eyes and snorted. "Easy there, Aladdin, you don't want to scare me away. I know all about your… _kinks_ , and I don't want any part of _that_ , thank you very much."

"Oh _please_ , Padme," Dorme drawled, waving her hand. "Don't worry. You're safe in my hands. Right." She stood up abruptly, downing the rest of her coffee in one quick swig. "Get dressed. We're going. **Now**."

With a bemused laugh and shake of her head, Padme watched as her friend stormed off into the bathroom to get ready.

This was _bound_ to be an eye opening experience, she was sure.


	27. Chapter 27

**_A/N: So, I have been having anxiety all week about this big assignment I submitted a few weeks ago. Was so sure I failed. But I got my marks back and I did really really well and I'm so happy right now that I've decided to share that joy with you, and update! :D This is a one off thing, though. I have two assignments due on Monday, and it's currently Friday, so this is the last update I will do on any of my stories until they are done and submitted :)_**

 ** _So... Here is the infamous shopping trip :D_**

* * *

 **Chapter 27**

"I can't _believe_ I actually wanted to do this," Padme groaned as she was ushered inside _Agent Provocateur_ by her best friend. The only intimate's shop she'd ever been in was _Victoria's Secret_ , and whilst she'd thought she'd seen some risqué outfits before, she now realized how _incredibly_ naïve she had truly been. _This_ particular lingerie boutique was in a _whole_ different ball park.

A hot flush rose in her cheeks as she surveyed the inside of the store, her eyes widening in shock when she noticed an array of whips, paddles, and chokers, and she quickly averted her gaze on a gasp, feeling unbelievably naïve and innocent. She wasn't unfamiliar with such things; she'd seen _Fifty Shades of Grey_ with Dorme, and whilst she had been quite disappointed with the calibre of acting, it was the first time she'd really given any thought to bondage. And, it didn't sit right with her. It just wasn't her scene, and she simply couldn't understand how being whipped or hurt in any way could _possibly_ be considered _pleasurable_ , regardless of what her best friend had told her otherwise. Dorme was _far_ less shy about experimenting in these sorts of areas, and while Padme wasn't the least bit interested in such things herself, she definitely admired her best friend's daring nature.

Catching the look on her friend's face, Dorme grinned impishly. "You're _so_ adorably innocent," she cooed, and Padme shifted uncomfortably, suddenly feeling like a teenage virgin again. "Don't worry, P. We'll start small." Taking her by the shoulders, Dorme steered Padme away from the more _lewd_ options in the store towards an area that looked _much_ more inviting.

 _Lace..._ And, _lots_ of it.

She released an audible sigh of relief. Leather and ropes and chains intimidated her. Lace she could handle.

A store assistant approached them, obviously picking up immediately on Padme's _innocent_ vibes and smiled warmly at her. Padme couldn't help but gape at the woman. She was _gorgeous_ , with her pale skin, dark hair, bright blue eyes, and deep ruby red lips. She had the _perfect_ hourglass figure, showcased in a sheer white blouse tucked into a tight black pencil skirt, her black corset clearly showing underneath. Padme knew she had no reason to be self-conscious; she knew she was _attractive_. But, the sensual, exotic beauty of this store assistant sudden made her a little jealous.

"Hello. Welcome to _Agent_ _Provocateur_. How may I help you?" she asked pleasantly, beaming at the pair of them.

Dorme spoke first, a sly grin on her face. "My friend here wants to _pop_ her lingerie cherry, so to speak."

Padme frowned at her friend's choice of words and shot her an unimpressed look, but Dorme ignored it. The shop assistant, _Melanie,_ smiled warmly at her, in a friendly, yet somewhat patronizing way, which only made Padme feel more like a naïve teenager instead of a twenty-four-year-old woman. Still, she couldn't deny that she _was_ new to this sort of thing. It was a fitting term, in any case.

"Oh! How _exciting_!" Melanie exclaimed. "What's the occasion? Do you want to spoil yourself, or is there a special _someone_ you want to buy for?"

Blushing, Padme bit her lip and nodded, as she thought about the last time she'd worn something even _slightly_ sexy for Anakin, the blue number her sister had given her for Christmas. Even the _memory_ of the way he'd looked at her wearing it was enough to make her nipples tighten underneath her blouse, and she felt herself grow hot. _Yes._ She **wanted** to see that look on Anakin's face again...that look he reserved _just_ for _her._ She **wanted** him to stare at her like that again, like he was starved of oxygen, and she was his _only_ air supply. And, seeing as she'd ruined her sister's gift, it only made sense for her to upgrade.

"Its…uh…a surprise," she explained timidly. "My boyfriend is visiting – he lives in Chicago, and we hardly get to see each other. And, I never really _wear_ things like this, so I thought I'd surprise him."

Melanie nodded her head in understanding and winked at her. "Well, you've _definitely_ come to the right place. I'd suggest you stick to _this_ area though – " she gestured to the racks around them. "Over there is all the BDSM stuff and, from the look of you, I don't _really_ think that's what you're after, Honey," she added with a kind smile.

Padme shook her head immediately. She was right. That was definitely _not_ what she was after.

"Do you know what you're looking for exactly?" Melanie asked. "Do you have anything in mind? Are you after sets, or do you want something a little different, like corsets or slips or things like that?"

Sharing a side glance with Dorme, she shook her head. "Not exactly. I don't really know what there _is_ to choose from."

"That's alright. Well, I'll just leave you to browse around. If you need help or anything, Honey, just let me know."

Padme thanked her and then turned to peruse the items before her. It was overwhelming. It had been foolish to think that just because some things were made of lace, that they were somehow less _promiscuous_ , but she was wrong. There was _everything_ she could think of and more; bras and panties, thongs of various degrees of skimpiness, slips, babydolls, playsuits and teddies. Over on a table nearby was a collection of lacy garters, suspenders and stockings. Then, towards the back of the store, her eye caught a glimpse of an entire wall dedicated just to _vibrators_. She stared, open-mouthed and wide-eyed for a moment, feeling more naïve than ever before.

Dorme caught her expression and smirked at her, raising an eyebrow in question. "What's that face for?"

Swallowing, Padme gestured over to the wall. "I didn't know they sold… _those things_ , here," she offered weakly.

Her best friend merely laughed at her. "Oh, P, you're so _cute._ Of _course,_ they do. I got my Rabbit from here, you know."

"Oh."

"You should think about getting one," Dorme continued, seriously. "I mean, for when Anakin's not around. You could even _incorporate_ it into your little... _Skype_ _sessions_ if you wanted," she added cheekily.

"Dorme!" she gasped, her face flushing in embarrassment.

"Alright, _alright,_ calm down," Dorme shook her head in amused exasperation. "It was just a suggestion. Right. Let's get to work." With a firm nod, she began sorting through the different items on the racks and shelves and picked out a variety of different combinations in her size for her to try on. Padme let her take control; she had _far_ more experience in this area, and simply watched, intrigued.

" _Yes!_ " Dorme exclaimed suddenly, withdrawing a black, lacy number from amongst the racks. "You've _got_ to try this one!"

Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, Padme took the garment from her and held it up for inspection. Really, there wasn't _much_ to inspect. From Padme's perspective, it looked like a scrap of sheer, black lace that was almost transparent. When she brought the material up to her fingers, she could distinctly see her skin through it. Her eyes widened. "What is it?!"

"A teddy," Dorme replied with a chuckle.

"You can see right _through_ it!" Padme pointed out, slightly horrified.

"Yes. That's the point."

" _Why_ would you even wear it then? It's not like it's going to cover _anything_ up."

Shaking her head, Dorme smirked. "My _god_ , P. That's what you wear lingerie **for**. It's _all_ in the _tease_ , Honey. Give them enough to make them want _more_. It'll look **so** hot on you, trust me. You're trying it on."

Frowning, Padme returned her gaze to the material in her hand, fingering it absently, full of apprehension. "I don't have a choice, do I?" she muttered quietly, her lips curling into a small smile.

"Nope," Dorme grinned, and Padme sighed but nodded her head and took the rest of the items from her friend before heading off to the dressing room. Even _they_ had a sensual, erotic feel to them; thick, dark red velvet curtains that closed off an individual boudoir, with a large, ornate mirror and a plush pouf.

She closed the curtain and stripped out of her clothes until she was just in her underwear, kicking them into a pile over in the corner, before assessing the situation. The first option was a bra and bikini panty set in bright, red lace. Swallowing her hesitation, she decided to try it on first – it was the most comfortable choice there, and hopefully, it would give her enough confidence to try on the black number.

Once she was dressed, she gave herself a once over in the mirror. She had to admit, she looked good. Though not voluptuous by any means, with her modest 32B bra size and her slender hips, the low cut of the bra and all the extra padding gave her never-before-seen cleavage, and the little frills that flared out around the sides of the panties gave her the illusion of curves. The red lace set off her dark hair and eyes and gave her fair skin a smooth, milky _creaminess_ instead of the pasty paleness she personally often felt when around Dorme or Anakin.

With a nod, she opened the curtain and peeked around the gap, searching for Dorme. Her best friend was chatting with Melanie , the store assistant, and only looked up when Padme called out to her. With a smile, she entered the dressing room and gave her a once over. Padme played with the thin strap of the bra with nervous anticipation.

"You look _hot_ ," Dorme appraised after a moment, a proud grin on her face. "Red suits you."

Padme blushed at the compliment, blinking shyly up at her best friend. "You think so?" She'd never worn much red before.

Dorme nodded her head firmly. "Absolutely. Do _you_ like it?"

Turning back towards the mirror, Padme raked her gaze over her reflection, critiquing her appearance. It was bolder than _anything_ she'd ever worn before; mainly plain, cotton t-shirt bras and cotton briefs. _Nothing_ lacy and definitely _nothing_ red. Yet, she didn't feel out of her comfort zone. "Yeah, I do," she confessed after a while, unable to hide the smile on her face. "It makes me look…"

" – **sexy** ," Dorme finished for her with a wink, and Padme let out a shy giggle. "It's alright to admit it, you know. There's _nothing_ wrong with wanting to look sexy."

"I know," Padme conceded.

"Good. Now, put that in the _yes_ pile and try on the next one."

Padme smirked after her, as she left the dressing room. Next, she tried on a sheer slip of dark smoky blue with a matching thong. It was figure-hugging and clung to her breasts, hips and waist, finishing _just_ under the curve of her backside, which made her feel slightly daring. Apparently, from what Dorme had told her, slips were a sort of sleepwear, much like a nightgown. Padme had never been a fan of nightgowns; they always bunched up underneath her armpits and made it uncomfortable. She much preferred shorts and baggy tees. But, she couldn't help but imagine what Anakin would think if she decided to sleep in _this._ A sly grin curled her lips at the thought. _There wouldn't be a whole lot of sleeping going on._ And, Padme wasn't sure if she minded _that_ at all.

It was another _yes_ from Dorme, and so she put the slip into the appropriate pile. In the back of her mind, she was a little horrified by how _expensive_ everything was, and she was hit with a brief moment of panic at her father discovering she'd spent _his_ money on _lingerie._ Shaking her head, suddenly embarrassed, she quickly tossed that idea from her mind. That was the _last_ thing she wanted to think about right now.

After she tried on a few more things, she was finally left with the last item; the black, lace teddy. For some reason, Padme was far more apprehensive about _this_ particular item than anything else she'd tried on so far. Perhaps it was because it was _so_ skimpy, or maybe just because she'd never even _seen_ what it looked like before, but either way, she was nervous. Putting on a brave face, she carefully pulled it up her body and fastened the straps around her neck. It was awkward to get into, but once it was on, it acted much like a one-piece swimsuit.

Only, when she lifted her gaze to the mirror, she realized it was possibly the _skimpiest_ swimsuit she'd **ever** seen. It was _so_ high cut at the front that it hardly covered her at all, and when she turned around, she saw most of her ass was exposed. The material was so sheer that she could distinctly see the colour of her nipples through the fabric, and she blushed at the sight. It was separated into two pieces of narrow material that covered her breasts and met once more just under her navel, held in place by a single thin strap across her breast bone. The rest of her skin was bare.

There was something about wearing black that made Padme feel… _sensual._ And yet, she still felt rather embarrassed. The outfit left absolutely _nothing_ to the imagination – there were no illusions of luscious curves, she couldn't hide behind padding or frills. It was just _her_ ; her slight, petite frame, slender waist and hips, small, pert breasts. It made her feel bizarrely self-conscious, even though she knew it was silly of her. A part of her wanted to throw on a baggy shirt and pair of sweats, to cover herself up. But, there was this smaller, stronger side of her that _encouraged_ her to be confident.

"Have you got it on yet?" Dorme called through the other side of the curtain, interrupting her thoughts.

Swallowing, she tentatively pulled back the curtain and allowed her best friend to step inside.

" _Holy_ _shit!"_ Dorme exclaimed as soon as she saw her, and Padme winced at her words, shrinking inside herself. She bowed her head as her best friend surveyed her.

"I know," she muttered quietly. "I look hideous, don't I?"

Dorme made an irritated growl and exhaled sharply through her nose. " **Padme!** " Her voice cut sharply through the air, and she had no choice but to look up. " _Shut_ _up_ before I slap some sense into you." Her rough threat made her eyes widen, and she stared at her friend, slightly incredulous. "You **are** a beautiful, sexy-ass woman, and there are _so_ many girls who would _kill_ to look like you do right now! Don't you _dare_ go all self-conscious on me!"

Nodding her head, Padme swallowed timidly. Her best friend had a point, to be sure. Padme was blessed with her naturally slim build and blemish-free ivory skin. Lots of women would _love_ to have such features, so it was almost selfish of her to feel this way. And yet, she couldn't help it. It was _so_ far out of her comfort zone that it made her a little uncomfortable. She didn't have the confidence to pull off something like _this_.

"You – you don't think it looks… _silly?_ " she asked shyly, fidgeting with the top a little.

"No way!" Dorme beamed widely at her. "P, you're an absolute _babe!_ Anakin's gonna **flip** when he sees you in this. Trust me!"

A small smile crept upon her lips, and she giggled a little, as she imagined Anakin's expression. She'd _never_ worn anything _this_ scandalous before – her blue chemise and panties from Sola were rather _tame_ compared to **this** – and it was sure to shock him. "You _really_ think so?"

Dorme shook her head and sighed in exasperation. "Honey, that boy is so _completely_ infatuated with you, it's not even funny. I've seen the way he looks at you – like you're some sort of goddess or something. To _him_ , you're the most beautiful, stunning, sensual woman in the world. So, _you_ need to _act_ like it." She gave her a firm look. "Be confident. _Own it._ Ok, just… pretend I'm Anakin for a second, alright? Just, give it a go. He's _me_. You're standing in front of _him_ , wearing _this_. He knows you, he _loves_ you. He's seen you **naked** a thousand times. There's no need to be shy in front of him, is there?"

The logic reigned true. There really was _no_ reason to feel self-conscious in front of Anakin. He showered her in affection every moment he got, constantly telling her how beautiful _he_ thought she was, even when _she_ didn't feel it herself. Besides, she couldn't deny the little tremor of excitement that pulsed in her blood at Anakin seeing her in **this**. She could picture his response so clearly in her mind, it was almost as though he really _was_ there with her, and her anxiety slowly melted away. Lifting her chin, she straightened her shoulders and turned back around to the mirror, giving herself a confident, sultry smile. Then, for an extra boost of confidence, she reached up and pulled her hair out of its messy bun, letting her tangled curls cascade over her shoulders. It was amazing what a difference just a look could make. Suddenly, the woman starring back at her was a _completely_ different Padme; no longer shy, sweet, and innocent, but sexual, vivacious, and _bold_. As though she had awoken her inner _vixen._

And, she liked it. It gave her a sense of _empowerment_ that she decided to run with.

Dorme wolf-whistled, and Padme turned around, flashing her a suggestive smirk. "Well, well, well… look at you! Damn, P, you're one _sexy_ lady! Anakin is one _very_ lucky man!"

Grinning wickedly, Padme returned her gaze to the mirror and appraised herself. "Yeah," she nodded, firmly. "I am, aren't I?"

"Hell _yeah_ , you are," Dorme agreed with a proud, smug, smirk.

She flicked her hair just a little and rose herself to her full, yet still diminutive height, meeting her reflected gaze with steadfast concentration. "I feel… _sexy_ ," she confessed quietly into the room. "It's like I'm a different version of myself, still me… just – I dunno… I'm more _powerful_ , somehow. You know?"

Her best friend nodded her head and gave her a fond smile. "I _do_. **That's** the power of lingerie, Honey. Men think it's for _them_ ," she broke off and shook her head in amusement. "As if they _care._ They'd rather us not wear _anything_ , let's be honest." She moved up behind Padme and put her hand on her shoulder. "Look at you, right now! You're strong, you're confident, you're _sexy._ And, _that's_ what lingerie does, Padme. It's all for _you._ "

Padme couldn't deny the truth in her best friend's words. She felt so _liberated_ right now, like she could do anything she wanted, and it was such a wondrous feeling. It was all about _her_ ; Padme _liked_ the way she felt wearing something so daring. It gave her a newfound confidence she'd _never_ possessed before. And, of course, having Anakin appreciate it would only make it so much sweeter.

With this in mind, Padme dressed back into her clothes and took all three items up to the counter. She tried not to think about how much it was costing her to feel confident, rather focusing on the look on Anakin's face when he saw her new purchases _on_ her. It made her skin tingle with anticipation – she couldn't _wait_ for him to be discharged from hospital. She left the store, clutching her bag, a bounce in her step and her head held high.

It was after midday when the two of them arrived back at the apartment, and Dorme decided to join Padme in her day off. The two of them stripped down to their sweats, made some coffee, and then plopped themselves down on the couch with a jar apiece of Nutella and a spoon, watching reruns of _Sex and the City._ Padme hadn't spent a lazy day like this with her best friend all semester, and it was _definitely_ a much needed break. After everything that she'd been through – not just yesterday, but since before Christmas, she _needed_ this. Just a single day where she could do nothing and just spend it with Dorme, like they used to do before relationships and men and graduation took over their lives.

The more she thought about it, the more amusing the entire situation became to her. Clearly, she and Anakin had the _worst_ luck. Ever since they'd gotten together, they'd been thrown into test after test, and even though each time, they managed to survive and survive _together_ , Padme was still _exhausted_. **All** she wanted was a simple life with Anakin, yet lately, her life had been anything _but_ simple. If it wasn't her father's disapproval of their relationship, or Anakin's tormented past as a child, it was pregnancy scares or suddenly resurfacing ex-boyfriends, or even just the constant separation. They'd basically faced everything. And, they'd survived.

Surely, that had to account for _something_.

It spoke volumes about how _committed_ they were to their relationship, to each other. If they could overcome all _this_ , then she knew that they were in it for the long haul. _Permanently._ It brought an affectionate smile to her lips.

"You're definitely Carrie," Dorme announced suddenly through a mouthful of Nutella as she stretched out next to Padme, her long legs entangled with her friend's much shorter limbs.

Padme flicked her a confused look over another spoonful of Nutella. "What do you mean?"

Shrugging, Dorme grinned. "You're Carrie. You're a _disaster_ magnet, P. Just saying."

"Gee, _thanks_ ," Padme scowled, crossing her arms with a huff.

"I'm only speaking the truth. I mean, look at all the _shit_ you've been through this school year. And, you're still _sane._ You deserve some sort of credit for that."

Smiling, Padme shook her head. "It's not that. Just, when you love someone as much as I love Ani...You do _anything_ to make it work. You don't give up when things get hard. You just try _harder,_ y'know? There's _always_ a silver lining."

Dorme nodded her head and reached over to take her hand, giving it a quick squeeze. "I'm glad you and Anakin have worked things out. I didn't _really_ want you two to break up. He's too much fun to tease."

Padme returned her friend's encouraging squeeze. She knew what Dorme was insinuating behind her snarky humour. Though she wouldn't admit it, Padme knew her best friend had been worried about her. Dorme was just too proud to say so. They shared a knowing smile before turning their attention back to the television.

"Who're you, then?" Padme asked with a teasing smile, through a mouthful of creamy chocolate.

With a sly grin, Dorme flipped her hair and fixed Padme with a sultry glance. "Samantha, _of_ _course_."

Padme scoffed. "Yeah, _right._ You _think_ you're Samantha, but deep down, you're Charlotte. You want to find your Prince Charming and live happily ever after in a big mansion."

Eyes twinkling, Dorme winked at her. " _Everyone_ has a bit of Charlotte in them. Nothing wrong with that, P."

Returning her grin, Padme nodded her head in agreement. Though, she found that she didn't have any need for a Prince Charming or a big mansion. She had Anakin, and whilst he was far from perfect, he was **all** she needed. She didn't want a big house, or fancy clothes. _All_ she wanted was Anakin; his love was all she required.

When it was time for her to go back and visit Anakin, she made sure to remember to stop at McDonalds on the way and buy him his Big Mac, large fries and a large mocha frappé, as requested, and indulged in a caramel frappé herself, for they were simply _delicious,_ and she couldn't resist. The wide smile on his face when she rocked up to his ward with his food was all worth it; he shone with deep gratitude.

"Ah, _there_ she is! My Angel bringing me the cure for my ailments," he announced rather dramatically when she approached him, and Padme rolled her eyes, but kissed his cheek tenderly nonetheless before handing him his food.

"Here you go, you big baby," she teased, as he eagerly took his frappé from her and slurped it down quickly, until he moaned and screwed up his eyes.

"Ow," he pressed his fingers up to the bridge of his nose and pinched.

"You gave yourself a brain freeze, didn't you?" She lifted an eyebrow in pure amusement.

He shook his head stubbornly, flashing her a cheeky grin. "No. Not at all."

Padme exhaled through her nose in a scoff, watching him wolf down his burger in about five seconds, and was worried that he was going to give himself indigestion. "Ani, _slow_ _down_. It's not going to jump off your lap, y'know."

He fixed her with a pointed look and swallowed thickly. "I'm _starving_ , Padme. **All** I've eaten today is some measly oatmeal and an egg and lettuce sandwich." The way his face screwed up in disgust made her laugh. "Give me a break, will ya."

She beamed at him. "Well, _you're_ the one who gave yourself a brain freeze," she reminded him, but he chose to ignore her. As he ate, she drifted her eyes over to his right arm, which was now positioned in a cast and no longer in a sling. His fingers protruded from the end of it as it rested on his stomach. Having never broken any bones herself, she was intrigued by it, and reached out tentatively with her fingers, testing the slightly rough texture of the plaster against her fingertips. It was thick and impossibly hard. She wondered how heavy it was. Whether it was hurting him to be stuck in such an odd position – his arm at right angles to his shoulder.

"I _always_ wanted one of these, y'know," Anakin commented, as he picked at his fries. When Padme stared at him in confusion, he smiled and continued. "Almost all the kids at school had one at some stage. They were the _coolest_ things out there. Like a badge of honor. People would write on them and sign them. It was the height of popularity." He laughed and shook his head.

"And, now?" she arched an eyebrow.

He smirked. " _Now_ , I'm thinking I was an idiot to want one. My elbow is so fucking itchy, and I can't scratch it. Do you know how _frustrating_ that is?! I'm gonna go insane, Angel, I can feel it."

His dramatics made her giggle, and she shuffled closer to him, pinching a fry before ghosting her lips over his. "Don't worry, Ani," she purred in his ear. "Once you're discharged, I'll give you a _different_ itch to scratch."

It was unusual for her to be so bold and flirt so blatantly, but ever since her lingerie trip, she felt emboldened, powerful, and wanted to harness this newfound power and use it. Anakin, it seemed, definitely appreciated it, for his pupils dilated just a little and his tongue slipped out from between his lips and wet them.

Swallowing hard, he smirked up at her proudly. " _Who_ are you, and what have you done with my sweet, innocent girlfriend?"

With a wink, she chose not to respond to him, and instead, captured his lips with hers in a heated kiss. It felt _good_ to tease him, to torment him the way he so often did with her. She enjoyed the feeling it gave her of being in control of the situation for once, of being the one to make _him_ blush and grow all flustered. _Thank you, Dorme_ , she grinned to herself.

"A girl _always_ has her secrets," she whispered to him when she pulled back, and he grinned at her wolfishly, clearly liking this newfound side of her.

 _Just you_ _ **wait**_ _until you see what I've got in store for you, Ani._


	28. Chapter 28

_**A/N: So, I nailed my assignment. 28/30. Thank you very much. *sighs in relief* So... you all know what that means. Updates! Hooray! Finally! *cheers*.**_

 _ **Once again, I just want to thank you all for all your support with this story, and TBND. I hope you'll stick with me until the very end... which is long time coming, if I'm being honest. MUCH LOVE!**_

 _ **Sorry for the way I end this chapter... I'm a Sith, remember? ;)**_

* * *

A day later, Anakin was discharged from the hospital, and Padme went to pick him up and bring him back to her apartment. Whilst he was able to fly, he had difficulty dressing himself with only one functioning arm, and so Padme offered for him to stay with her for a week so she could help him. As noble as her offer was, she also just wanted to spend time with him. They'd been apart for _too_ long, and they'd _both_ been through so much over the last few days, and **all** Padme wanted was to be with him and _forgive_ and _forget_ – to spend a week of lazy _bliss_ with Anakin. Surely, she deserved that. They _both_ deserved that.

He was like an excitable puppy during the entire car ride home in her Mini Cooper. The way he was acting was as though he'd been in the hospital for two months, instead of just two days, but Padme found it rather endearing. She listened to him intently, every now and then glancing across at the passenger side, watching the way his entire face lit up into a broad smile as he constantly thanked her for coming to get him and letting him stay with her, even though she _wouldn't_ have let him go back to Chicago just yet anyway. He caught her looking at him and tipped his head in confusion.

"What?"

Beaming across at him, Padme shook her head. "Oh, nothing, Ani. I'm just… happy you're here."

He returned her grin. "Me, too."

When they arrived home, after helping him up the stairs and in the door, Anakin finally confessed that he was exhausted and needed a nap, as the medication he was on made him drowsy, so Padme helped him strip down to his boxers and slide into her bed, which was difficult considering that even the act of sitting down caused him immense pain in his poor ribs. Now that he was shirtless, she could see the dark purple bruising that decorated his tanned skin. It looked awful and incredibly painful, but Padme tried her best not to draw attention to it. Anakin didn't need her gawking at his injuries. He eventually managed to get comfortable, and Padme sat by him, stroking his hair fondly.

"You don't have to stay here," he muttered through a yawn, a sleepy, adorable expression on his face.

In response, Padme gently pressed her lips to his forehead. "Shh, go to sleep, Ani," she whispered lovingly.

He beckoned her closer for a kiss and she obliged, before he closed his eyes on a soft sigh. Within seconds, he was sound asleep. She was content to watch him for awhile; the scar over his eye was still angry and red, yet his stitches had been removed, which she took as a good sign. There was also a greenish-blue bruise forming around the scar, and she winced just looking at it.

Her _poor_ Ani. So battered and broken. And yet, still _so_ beautiful.

Her heart ached for him. She _never_ wanted him to feel this sort of pain ever again, physical or emotional, if she could help it. Padme vowed that she was going to protect him with her very _life_. He was her _everything._

Anakin woke about two hours later, groaning in pain, and Padme administered his medication immediately. He swallowed his tablets, and then smiled up at her, running his thumb over the delicate bones of her wrist. "Don't look so worried, Angel," he told her. "It's alright."

She bit her lip and twined her fingers with his. "I don't like seeing you in pain, Anakin," she confessed.

His eyes grew soft, swimming with loving affection. "I'm feeling _much_ better now that I'm with _you,_ Angel."

The tender words brought silly tears to her eyes, and she beamed down at him, giving his hand a tight squeeze. "What can I do for you? Is there anything you need? Are you hungry?"

"Silly question," he teased with a knowing smirk. "I'm _always_ hungry, Padme."

"What do you want? I'll get you anything you like," she offered him, sweetly. While he was injured, she was going to make _sure_ he was as comfortable as possible. And, there was a big part of her that _enjoyed_ taking care of him.

He paused and chewed on the inside of his cheek, eyes darting across the room as he concentrated. "Pizza."

She smiled. "Well, then, pizza it is. I'll go order some." She stood up and went for her phone, and he called out, " _Meatlovers, please_ ," as she left the room. Once she'd ordered his pizza, and a supreme one for herself, she went back into her room, and Anakin looked up at her, expectantly.

"I brought Game of Thrones with me," he informed her, a hopeful grin on his face, and she didn't miss the excited lilt to his voice. "Wanna watch it?"

His childlike request made her smile at him, and she nodded immediately. "Of course, Ani. It's _our_ _thing_ , remember?" She winked at him, causing him to grin wider in response.

Padme could feel his eyes on her as she set up her laptop on her desk, input one of the DVD discs, and turned it so that it was facing the bed, and when she turned around, she caught his searing gaze staring at her, and it made her swallow a little at the intensity of it.

"Come here," he called to her softly, patting the bed beside him with his left hand just as the theme song began playing. She crawled up beside him, careful to keep her distance so that she didn't knock his ribs, but Anakin, it seemed, didn't appreciate the gap. Instead, he put his good arm around her shoulder and hauled her into his side, so she was pressed up against him. The contact made him hiss just a little.

"Careful, Anakin," she warned, moving to shuffle away from him, but his tight grip on her shoulder prevented her. "I don't want to hurt you."

He merely kissed the top of her hair and ran his hand up and down her sides gently. "You're not going to hurt me, Angel," he whispered. "Just…let me hold you. I-I...need to hold you."

The way he said it, so desperate and _lost_ worried her, and she glanced up at him in concern. "Ani…what is it? What's wrong?"

Meeting her gaze, he swept his eyes over her face, slightly forlorn. " _I love you,_ " he murmured quietly, barely audible.

Smiling softly, she giggled and stretched up her neck to kiss his cheek. "I know."

He shook his head, meeting her gaze seriously and almost solemn. "No, you – you don't _understand_ ," he insisted. "I can't…Padme, I _can_ ' _t_ be without you anymore." It was one of the most heartbreaking phrases she'd _ever_ heard him say. Anakin sounded weak, vulnerable and so, _so young_. Once again, it reiterated just _how_ deep his attachment to her was – an attachment that was _mutual_ in its intensity, but it never failed to surprise Padme. She had **never** been loved like this before; so completely and solely and surely. There was no other feeling in the world that could compare.

"I know you're busy," he continued, eyes pleading with her frantically to understand what he was trying to convey. "I…I _know_ how important graduation is to you, and I – I _don't_ begrudge you that, Padme. Really, I _don't._ I admire that – I _love_ that about you. But…I _**need**_ you."

"Ani…"

"I can't do it anymore, Angel," he implored, stroking her hair softly with his fingers. "I _can't_ be without you for two months again. It's…it's _too_ much for me. It _hurts._ And _,_ Skypejust _isn't_ enough."

His admission made her want to cry. She should have known how hard being apart from her like this would be on Anakin. He'd confessed to her many times before that she was a soothing balm to his soul; she _grounded_ him and gave him purpose in life. _Of_ _course,_ it was hurting him to be apart from her. Just as it was hurting her, as well. She'd said it before.

Distance was their biggest threat.

It made _everything_ between them so much more _intense_ – fueled their jealousy and anger, frustration and desperation. The sooner she graduated, the better. Their relationship simply couldn't handle more time apart than was necessary.

Padme bit her lip as she looked up at him. Maybe she _had_ been selfish. Maybe she _should_ have visited Anakin more often, regardless of how busy she was, to prove to him that he was _just_ as important to her as her studies, if not, more so. No _wonder_ he'd lashed out at Clovis so violently, even _with_ his traumatic past.

He _missed_ her. Terribly so.

She should have _known_ that. She should have _prevented_ that. It made her feel incredibly guilty.

"I'm sorry, Anakin," she muttered softly.

"No, _don't_ …" he shook his head adamantly. "Don't apologize, Angel. It's not…it's _not_ your fault. It's just…I _miss_ you, that's all. Maybe…maybe we could try to make it only _two_ weeks, y'know? Even three, if you're _really_ super busy. I can – I can live with that." He turned to nuzzle into her hair, adorably possessive, and his fingers slid from her shoulder to her waist and curled tighter around her, as he inhaled her scent deeply. "I just…I _need you_ , Padme," he whispered into her hair, voice low and rough with emotion. "Sometimes, I think I need _you_ more than I need _air._ "

She whimpered and reached up to stroke his jaw tenderly, pouring all her affection for her beautifully dysfunctional golden boy into that _one_ action. " _Oh_ , _Ani,_ " she cooed tearfully. "I need you, too. I'm _so sorry_ if I don't show you that enough…I don't mean to. I _love_ you. Just…graduation has been _consuming_ my life lately…" she broke off and made a grimace. The past month and a half had been a nightmare, and she still had four more months to go. "But, I'll _try_ , Anakin," she promised, flashing him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "I **promise**. I promise to come visit you more often…I'll bring my work with me if I have to. But, it won't matter, because then we'll be together. You're even _more important_ to me than my studies are. I hope you _know_ that, Ani."

He smiled brightly down at her and then closed the distance between their mouths, kissing her fiercely. Again, she could feel that underlying _hunger_ , that raw _need_ as he moved his lips against hers, and it caused a tremor of arousal to shoot down to her core. As much as she needed Anakin's _presence_ in her life, Padme couldn't deny that she need _this,_ too; his _body_ , his _passion_ , his _desire_. As wonderful as their frequent Skype sessions were, it was _nothing_ compared to the real thing. She trembled a little into his mouth and felt him smirk against her lips, obviously pleased by her reaction. His fingers found the sliver of skin between her sweatpants and her shirt, and the touch of his hot skin against hers set her nerves alight. She _needed_ his hands all over her body. She _needed_ to feel that fiercely possessive touch of his that drove her wild.

Their intimate moment was interrupted by the pizza delivery boy, and Padme reluctantly broke away from Anakin's kiss, retrieved their pizzas and paid the boy, before returning. They continued watching Game of Thrones whilst eating pizza in bed, and the sight of Anakin struggling to eat with only one hand was almost hysterical to Padme. He was making such a mess that she had to go and get napkins and help him raise his pizza slice to his lips. Not that she minded. He _was_ rather adorable, after all.

"Do you need a bib?" she teased after he promptly spilled half of his toppings back into the box that was resting on his lap.

He shot her a frown, which only made her grin wider, and she leaned over ghosting her lips over his. A drop of barbeque sauce lingered in the corner of his mouth, so she licked at it, and he made this little sound of surprise, deep in his throat, at her surprisingly _erotic_ act. Padme took it in her stride, revelling in this more _sensual_ side of herself that she'd recently unleashed, and traced the contours of his full lips with the pointed tip of her tongue, before pulling back and pecking him sweetly. Anakin was pleasantly surprised by her actions, and Padme shivered at the way his pupils had dilated and his eyes had darkened.

She'd aroused him. _Good._

Then, because she enjoyed teasing him, she sat back down and continued eating her pizza as though nothing had happened. She kept her concentration fixated on her laptop screen, but could _feel_ him staring at her. It made her smirk. He made a little cough, to clear his throat, and Padme glanced across at him, catching his wide eyed expression and the way his lips were parted just enough so she could see his teeth.

"What?" she lifted an eyebrow, testing him, before slowly taking a sip of her Dr. Pepper she bought with her pizza.

Swallowing some Coke of his own, he shook his head and snorted a chuckle before smiling at her. "Nothing, Angel. Nothing at all."

Padme only managed to finish half of her pizza, and so, typically, Anakin offered to finish it off for her. There was something strangely _romantic_ and _endearingly sweet_ about their afternoon together. It wasn't anything special; they were simply eating food and watching their favourite T.V. show in bed together, and yet, it was one of the **best** days of Padme's life.

She liked _this_ , just doing life with Anakin, being in his company. She enjoyed teasing him about how much he ate. She enjoyed the way his hand would sneak across to take hold of her thigh and stroke her gently with his rough fingers. She enjoyed the rapt expression that would take hold of him when something shocking happened in the show, and the little noises, the grunts, groans, and gasps, he would make when he was surprised or upset or angry. It was _easy_ , and after the stress they'd suffered over the past few days, it was _everything_ Padme wanted.

After two episodes, they decided to stop, and simply laid there in bed, sleepy and relaxed in each other's presence. Padme curled into his side, and Anakin resumed his gentle stroking of her hair, humming a peaceful tune under his breath. He had a lovely voice, and it was only then that Padme realized it.

"What's that?" she asked softly, intrigued. "It's pretty."

He exhaled happily and pressed a kiss to her hair. "It's _Yellow_. By Coldplay. Mom used to sing it to me as a kid to put me to sleep. It's her favourite song." A sad smile curled his lips at the memory, and Padme felt a pang of sympathy. There probably weren't too many happy memories of Anakin's childhood. At least he had this one.

"Sing it to me?"

If he was surprised by her request, he didn't show it and simply nodded his head. " _Look at the stars, look how they shine for you. And everything you do. Yeah, they were all yellow."_ There was a tinge of melancholy to his soft, beautiful voice, and it made her grow emotional at the sound of it. She could just imagine Shmi's gentle voice, lulling little Ani to sleep and stroking his golden curls and the image conjured something deep within Padme that she couldn't quite explain. Only that it seized her completely.

" _Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones, turned into something beautiful. Do you know? You know I love you so. You know I love you so..."_ His voice trailed off and he lifted her chin with his finger, meeting her moist gaze with his own and then he kissed her. Padme practically _melted._ He was absolutely the _sweetest_ thing, and her heart filled with love for him. How was it, after _everything_ he had been through as a child, and in his youth, that he could love her so much, so unconditionally? It almost didn't seem possible. And yet, she'd **never** met a person who had a bigger heart than Anakin. It spoke volumes of how Shmi had raised him, and about _who_ he was a person. It only made Padme love him more, _harder_.

"I didn't know you could sing," she whispered in awe, cupping his cheek with her hand.

"You're not the only one with secrets, Padme," he responded with a wink, and she laughed in spite of herself. "I've been thinking," he continued, his tone abruptly turning serious. "In the hospital. About what you said – about _therapy._ And, yeah," he nodded and swallowed. "I think…I think I should see a professional. I think it might… _help_ me, y'know."

Padme filled with pride and gave his hand an encouraging squeeze. The fact that he was _acknowledging_ that he had some issues he needed to resolve was a step in the right direction. It only reiterated how she'd made the right decision in staying with him, supporting him. "That's _wonderful_ , Ani!," she praised him. "I really think it will do you a world of good."

He smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah, I – I agree. They have counselors at the university, I think. I could probably talk to Qui-Gon about it when I go back home. He'll point me in the right direction. He likes me."

"I'm so _very_ proud of you, Anakin," she said fondly, her voice thick and quivering with emotion. "Really. I'm so, _so_ proud of you." Her thumb caught on his bottom lip as she stroked his cheek. "I love you so much."

When he kissed her again, she thought her heart was going to burst out of her chest, it was beating that wildly. He drank from her mouth like a man possessed, as though she was this sweet, sweet fruit he was hungry for, and all she could do was succumb to it. Tingles of arousal shot down her spine and pooled between her legs. She wanted him. She wanted him _**now**_ _._ It had been two months since she had last felt his touch, and she couldn't wait a second longer. Mewling into his mouth, she hitched her leg over his hip, unconsciously grinding herself against him. Anakin chuckled, a deep, low rumble of satisfaction, and then hissed at the pain, breaking away from their kiss.

"Careful there, Angel," he teased her with a wink. "You don't want to get me _too_ excited."

She grinned wolfishly. "Oh, but that's _exactly_ what I want," she purred in his ear, her hand sliding deftly over his hip to trace feather-light circles over the top of his boxer shorts, and he groaned.

"Since when are you so bold?!" he asked, lifting an eyebrow in amusement.

"When I haven't seen my gorgeous, sexy boyfriend in two months," she quipped back, cheekily. "Besides, I need you, _too_ , Ani." She batted her eyes up at him sweetly as her knowing clever fingers dipped underneath the waistband of his boxers, combing with her nails through the short, soft, curls that nestled around his quickly growing erection. Her hand went lower, to grip around the base of his cock when he removed his good arm from around her waist and caught hold of her wrist, yanking her hand away.

" _Don't_ ," he growled, voice rough and dark with desire.

Embracing her new, empowered side, she met his stern gaze with her own firm challenge, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Or _what?_ " She raised an eyebrow.

With a feral grin, he bent his neck to rub his nose along the contour of her cheek. "Or, broken ribs or not, I'll pin you down and take you right here, right now…" he grazed his teeth along her cheekbone, and she shivered. "And _that_ will be painful. Do you want to cause me pain, Angel?" She shook her head. "Mmm," he smirked. "That's what I thought."

"Fine. Be that way," she said suddenly, a sensuously wicked idea occurring to her. "I'm going to have a shower, then."

Padme wasn't about to let him win that easy. She hurried off into the bathroom, making sure to gather her things as sneakily as possible, though Anakin wasn't paying attention to her, having closed his eyes and rested his head back against the pillow. _Rest all you like, Anakin. You're going to need it._

She took longer than she needed to, taking the time to shave her legs, and, when she looked down between her thighs at her downy pubic hair, she decided to shave there, too. _Just_ a little. Padme didn't like being completely bare, and Anakin never seemed to mind, but a little trim wouldn't do any harm at all. Once she'd finished in the shower, she dried herself off and lathered herself in her coconut jasmine body lotion, until her skin was silky smooth and soft. Then, for the finishing touch, she fluffed up her hair, styling it and giving it extra bounce, before she unleashed her newest weapon.

 _Her_ _black_ _teddy_.

When she opened the door of the bathroom, she saw Anakin still lying with his eyes closed, dozing, and a smirk curled her lips. Draping herself seductivly against the door jam, she put phase two of her plan into action.

" _Anakin_ …" she called to him softly, using the most seductive tone she could muster. It worked. Slowly, he opened his eyes, turned his head to look at her, and completely _froze_. His eyes grew wide, pupils dilating so much and so fast that the blue of his irises was hardly visible, as he raked his gaze up her form. She could _feel_ it like a physical caress, the way it moved up the length of her legs, lingered slightly on the apex of her thighs, and up her breasts before finally reaching her face and hair.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but suddenly closed it again and swallowed thickly. He was utterly and completely _speechless_.

 _Yes!_

Anakin Skywalker had been rendered speechless by _her,_ and _that_ fact alone was enough to send thrills down her spine. Her arousal only intensified when she noticed the _immediately_ prominent tent rise up in his boxer shorts, evidence of his erection resurfacing, and she flashed him a feral grin.

"See something you like, Ani?" she positively purred with delight.

His eyes darkened to almost _black_ withdesire, and he could only nod and gulp in response, the breath hitching in his chest.

"Well, I'd say you're _definitely_ excited now," she quipped darkly, flicking her luxurious chestnut mane seductively for extra emphasis. He let out a low rumbling growl as she slowly, _tantilizingly_ walked towards him, swinging her hips more than usual for emphasis and smirked at the way his eyes were drawn to the sensual sway of her hips. His cock twitched in his boxers, and it made her giggle softly.

She came to stand before him, relishing in the way he was blatantly staring at her, like a blind man who was seeing the sun for the very first time. It was intoxicating and sent shivers all the way down her spine to her toes. She bent her left leg seductively at the knee and cocked her hip, rubbing her hands up and down her torso, holding the suggestive pose, her own eyes half-lidded and lusty.

He was struggling with himself, she could see it, because she was standing on the right side of the bed and the _only_ way he could touch her would be to sit up and reach over with his left hand, and to do _that_ would be incredibly painful. The way his jaw locked and unlocked repeatedly was proof enough of his inner turmoil, his gaze searingly predatory. He growled again.

She **loved** it.

Eventually, he finally managed to get his vocal cords to work and cleared his throat, though his voice were hoarse and husky in his throat. "Wh-what is _this?"_

She blinked at him coyly, playing with the top daintily with her fingers. "Oh, _this_ little thing? Do you _like_ it?"

He nodded his head vigorously, once again unable to communicate verbally. His eyes were roaming her body frantically, head to toe, seemingly unable to decide _where_ to rest his gaze, and _that_ amused her to no end. "Uh... _When_ did you get this?" he finally asked once he'd regained control of himself, though he not-so-subtly adjusted his erection in his boxers, an action Padme didn't miss.

"The other day," she informed him casually, as if it was no big deal. "I wanted to surprise you."

He smirked at her. "Well, I'm _definitely_ surprised."

She flipped her hair over her shoulder suggestively, then carefully climbed onto the bed, crawling slowly over his body so she was effectively straddling him, holding herself up by her hands and knees. As soon as she was within reach, his left hand was on her, running over every inch of her body with desperate _reverence._ Grinning slyly, Padme bent closer towards his mouth. "Is it a _good_ surprise, Ani?" she purred softly, her breath feather soft against his parted lips.

He exhaled deeply, his hand skimming down her bare back to rest on the curve of her ass, giving it a not-so-gentle squeeze. "The **best** _fucking_ _surprise_ in the world," came his hoarse reply. "You're _so_ _fucking_ _sexy_ , Padme. I…I can't stop touching you. **I** **want** **you** … _need_ you _so_ bad…."

"Oh, but what about your... _ribs_?" she teased.

In answer, he stretched up his neck, chasing her mouth with raw desperation, and so she gave him what he wanted. She kissed him roughly, all the while sinking her hips down to brush her aching sex against his cotton-clad erection, and he moaned wantonly into her mouth. Her tongue invaded his mouth, claiming dominance, and he surrendered to her excitedly, more content with letting his hand wander around to her front, sliding up her stomach to cup her right breast possessively. She sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, pulling on it with her teeth, before nipping him and sitting up.

"How _bad_ do you want me, Ani?" she breathed.

He tweaked her nipple roughly through the thin sheer lace and then dipped his hand between her legs, rubbing her slowly, making her arch into him. " **So**. **Fucking**. **Bad**." He emphasised each word with a harsh flick against her lace clad clit, and she hissed, undulating her hips into his touch. It had been _too_ long. She _needed_ him inside her. She couldn't wait any longer.

Shuffling down his body, taking care not to touch him, because he _was_ still injured and bruised, she kneeled above his thighs and took his boxers in her hands, yanking them down his hips, exposing his hard, straining member to her hungry gaze. "I can see that, Ani," she laughed huskily, wrapping her hand around the base of him and leaning over, blowing hot air over his weeping head. The _moan_ that involuntarily escaped his lips caused her own arousal to pool between her thighs.

" _Padme…"_ he pleaded with her, and she knew he was fighting with himself not to thrust up into her touch. Grinning, she licked at the small beads of pre-come that glistened on his tip, and his hand flew straight to her hair, fisting it tightly and yanking her away. " _Stop."_

She sat on his thighs and cocked her head to the side, feigning innocence. "What?" she blinked at him. The look he gave her was practically _molten_.

"Take it off... _ **Now.**_ "

"Oh," she pouted at him, pretending to be upset, batting her eyelashes teasingly. "But, I thought you liked it," she huffed breathily.

Anakin smirked at her then, eyes black with lust. "Oh, _I do,"_ he assured her and then dropped his voice to a low, husky timbre and added, "but I would like it much better on the floor..."

His admission made her giggle. Still, she wanted to make him work for it. There was no fun in it otherwise. So, Padme lifted her eyebrow, daringly, challenging him, and his jaw locked in response.

 **"Take it off, Angel."**


	29. Chapter 29

_**A/N: Told you I wouldn't make you wait too long. This chapter was a challenge to write, but, in the end, I'm happy with how it turned out.**_

 _ **WARNING: Explicit. Highly explicit.**_

 _ **Song inspiration for this chapter... Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande... I don't really think I have to say more. Enjoy ;)**_

* * *

"Oh, _god_ ," she moaned, voiced strained as she sunk down on him, until she was sitting on his lap, legs splayed on either side of his lean hips. There was _nothing_ like the feeling of being completely filled by Anakin, of him being fully sheathed inside her. After almost two months apart, it was a tight fit, and he was stretching her _so_ deliciously that she couldn't bring herself to move just yet, just wanted to stay there, feeling him deep inside her, revelling in the moment. His good hand cupped a breast, thumbing absently at her nipple, and she arched into his touch. "You feel…feel _so good_ , Ani," she praised him. "Missed this… missed _you…so_ much..."

Anakin groaned at her words, and she could feel his cock twitching inside her, which only served to make her grin. She wanted to hear his pleasure – she wanted him to _beg_ for it, beg for _her._ " _Angel_ …" he uttered in a hoarse whisper as his hips slowly undulated underneath her, _pleading_ for the friction she was denying him.

With a shy smile, she bent low over him, her hair draping like a dark velvety curtain around his face and held herself up by her elbows on either side of him, careful to avoid resting on his sore ribs. "Is this okay?" she asked softly, cautious of his injuries. "I'm not hurting you, am I?"

He trailed his hand up around to her back, dancing his fingers over the ridges of her spine before caressing the nape of her neck. "No," he smiled softly and shook his head. "But, I wouldn't tell you even if you _were_." His lips curled into a grin. "I've wanted _this_ for two months. Broken ribs aren't going to stop me."

Padme released a soft giggle and carded her fingers through his golden hair gently, beaming at him with loving eyes. "You're a dork," she smirked down at him, "But, I love you." He returned her grin with a wink, and she bent even closer, so her lips were at his ear. "I've wanted this, too," she confessed softly. "It feels like we've been apart forever." With that, she gently bit his earlobe and suckled, sending a sudden jolt racing through him, and he _whined_ with need.

"Mmm," he hummed, mouthing at her jaw wetly and slowly slid his lips along her skin, up to her mouth. His hand left her hair, trailing down her back to rest on the curve of her hip, fingers spread wide over the supple flesh of her ass, as he kissed her with unbridled passion. She matched him, her fingers curled tightly into his hair, as she met his demanding tongue, stroke for stroke. The way she was leaning forward made her clit brush against Anakin's pubic bone, and she circled her hips slowly, gasping as she sought the pressure she craved so badly.

As she slowly ground her hips against his, Anakin's cock twitched inside her again, and he made this little sound of impatience, digging his fingers tightly into her hip. " _Padme_ …" he begged against her mouth. "Just – can you – _please..._ " his voice broke off, and his breath hitched when she rocked down on him further, giving him what he needed, forcing him deeper inside her so that he was nudging her sweet spot. She continued swivelling her hips over him, loving the feeling of his cock dragging along her slick walls. He was big, and he was _hard,_ and it was _everything_ she'd never known she had needed until that very moment. She flattened her palms out beside his head, using the bed as leverage for the rocking movement of her hips so that she didn't rest her weight against Anakin.

His hand was tight on her ass, pushing her down further, kneading her flesh in a way that wasn't _quite_ gentle, but wasn't _painful_ either. Just, hard, firm. _Exactly_ what she needed. He stretched his neck out, pressing messy, open-mouthed kisses along her throat as she moved above him. There was something so _dirty_ about their love-making. It was desperate and needy, obscene wet sounds of hips smacking together, heavy breathing and breathy gasps, slick joining of lips and tongues. The air was hot and thick and dripping with the heady scent of sex. After two months of being without each other, combined with the intensity of everything that had happened, gentle _wasn't_ an option. Not tonight. Even with Anakin's broken ribs. Padme wasn't going to let that stop her from taking what she _wanted_.

" _Fuck_ ," Anakin cursed, eyes fluttered closed. "Fuck, Angel. Tight. So _fucking tight_ – when you move…can feel it – the drag…it's so - "

Padme sat up slowly, concentrating her efforts on rising up and down on him. "Yeah, Ani," she exhaled breathily, eyes glazed over. "It's so, _so_ good." Each movement down, she ground her hips mercilessly, panting and moaning above him. It _did_ feel good. It felt way, _way_ too good. Too much. Whole.

 _Perfect._

A growl slipped past his clenched teeth, and Padme fixed her eyes upon his face, watching as he struggled with himself, struggled not to move with her, because it would cause him pain. It was both amusing and erotic at the same time. To compensate, he dug his fingers harder into her hip bone, hard enough to leave bruises in the morning, Padme was certain, and locked his jaw tightly.

But, Padme didn't _want_ control. She wanted his passion, his essence, his _fire_. She wanted him to lose himself inside her, to _show_ her how much he loved her, how he couldn't live without her. So, she clenched her sex around him sharply, tearing a strangled groan from his lips and began to ride him faster, lifting her hips so he was almost all the way out of her before slamming back down. His cock throbbed inside her, and he shifted his hips, just slightly, not up, just side-to-side. It wasn't enough though, because then, with with an impatient huff, he began to move, _properly_ , lifting his hips off the bed and bucking up into her, meeting her hips each time. Each jab of his cock made her whine, and she threw her head back, her long hair tickling the tops of his knees and brushing the front of his thighs in feather soft caresses, as they braced her backside, and she placed her hands on either side of his hips, digging her nails into his skin from the sheer pleasure of it.

It was good. It was fucking _bliss_ , and Padme swivelled her hips just as Anakin really began to get into it, began bucking _hard_ up into her like she wanted. She was close. The pressure was building. If she could get _just_ the right friction on her clit, she would tumble over the edge, she knew it. She chased her orgasm desperately, grinding smooth and dirty against him, as he repeatedly hit her nerves, and she was there, she could _feel_ it… when…

"Ugh, _fuck!_ " he released a cry of pain and snapped his eyes open, stilling his movements. She paused, staring down at him in horror.

" _Ani_ …?!" her eyes scanned over his face, which was contorted in agony. It was hurting him, hurting his ribs. They couldn't keep this up. She didn't want to cause him pain.

He blinked up at her, incredulously. "What are you _doing_?" he demanded through gritted teeth. "Don't fucking _stop!_ "

"But...you're in _pain!_ " she pointed out with a frown.

Anakin shook his head. "I'm fine," he insisted. "Really. It's _fine_. Just…keep going…" He met her gaze firmly. " _Please_ , Angel," he begged. "It's _so_ good… I'm so – so _fucking_ close…"

Padme sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Anakin…" she began, unsure of whether to proceed with his wishes, or to stop. His injuries were still so new, and she could only imagine how much pain it was causing him to do this.

He caught her wrist, pulling it away from her face, before letting it drop to her side. "I _need_ you, Padme." The way he said it, all desperate and strained only spiked her own arousal. Something about those words…he _needed_ her. _Her._ Even when he was in complete agony, all Anakin wanted was _her._ She would _never_ grow tired of knowing that. His left hand cupped the back of her neck, and he pulled her down so she was hovering above his mouth. " _So bad_. I'm _aching_ for you, Angel. I mean it _hurts. **Please**._ "

His word made her melt, and she caved instantly, succumbing to the sweet lure of his lips moulding to her own. How could she not, when he pleaded with her like that? Her Ani always knew which buttons to press, and no matter how hard she was trying to keep up this act of control, she was weak, _weak_ when it came to Anakin. Just like he knew he was with her. She was so hopelessly in love with him that it scared her sometimes. The feelings he stirred within her were so _powerful_ in their intensity, yet addictive. She craved them; the way he made her feel when they were together.

It was like _nothing_ else in the world.

She couldn't deny that she needed _him,_ too. Her burning desire for Anakin ran deeper than anything she'd _ever_ known. She _craved_ him; his touch, his lips, his rough hands on her skin, his long, hard cock inside her, taking her, claiming her as his own. Perhaps it was just because she was young and inexperienced, but she hoped that this _need_ for Anakin would **never** dissipate, that she would still want him like _this_ when she was older. And, that he would want her, too, as they grew older.

Unable to deny him what they _both_ wanted any longer, she slowly began to rise over him again. The little groan of approval he made at her actions made her smile against his mouth, and she grew bold. Taking his good hand in hers, she laced their fingers together and pulled his arm up over his head, pinning him there and holding herself up with her other forearm beside his head. Her nipples teased his, as she gently brushed her chest against him, lightly enough as not to hurt him, and he moaned, squeezing her fingers tightly. She just kept him there and nipped his bottom lip with her teeth, not stilling her movements for even a second.

"Your **mine** tonight, Anakin," she told him in a soft whisper as she trailed her lips down his jaw and sucked biting kisses along his throat, marking him as _hers_. Her tongue flicked out and dragged across the bump of his Adam's apple, and his hips jerked involuntarily, causing him to groan a little, in both the pain from his ribs and the pleasure of Padme's mouth. "Mine to do with as I see fit."

As she said the words, she brought his hand up to the headboard and wrapped his fingers around on of the spindles tightly, before sitting up, whimpering at how deep he was inside her when she sat on him like this. The head of his dick was pushed right up against her sweet spot, and she bit her lip, eyes fluttering closed, and let the pleasure roll over her like a warm blanket.

" _Angel…_ " his hips twitched, seeking friction. Padme grinned.

"You're **not** allowed to touch me," she informed him firmly, her smile turned feral. "Not unless I say so. Understand?"

His eyes darkened to near black at her words, a proud grin curled his lips. "Yes, ma'am."

Slowly, Padme continued her movements, concentrating on lifting her hips up and then dropping back down, clenching around him as she did so. She kept her hands next to his head, as leverage, and locked her eyes on his face. "You're not allowed to move," she warned him as he made to thrust up into her.

Anakin let out a low, husky laugh. "You're not exactly making it – _oh fuck_ – easy for me, Padme."

"That's the whole point," she quipped darkly, before she attached her lips to the side of his neck and feasted on the salty tang of his skin with ravenous hunger. The sounds he emitted were _so_ delicious; he was shuddering in her arms, and Padme _revelled_ in the fact that she could reduce him to this gasping, quivering mess beneath her. It filled her with a profound sense of _power_ , a power she took great pleasure in wielding.

And wield it, she did.

After everything she'd been through, she wanted to take control. She _needed_ it. And, _oh_ , if it wasn't making her more aroused by the second. She'd _never_ been wetter in her life; she was sliding so smoothly over his shaft, the slick friction was driving her positively insane. Each grind down sent him knocking into her sweet spot again and again, and it was _heaven._

Anakin was breathing sharply through his nose, his jaw locked and teeth clamped together. The way his eyebrows were furrowed was proof enough of his pain, of the discomfort he was in, but when she asked him if he wanted her to stop, he snarled and shook his head furiously. " **No** , don't you _dare_ stop," he begged. "Just…just keep – _fuck,_ that's it. I need – _Angel, just…please…"_

Hearing him beg like that ignited something strangely possessive inside Padme, and she stilled her movements, peering down at him with predatory intent. "Beg for it." The words left her mouth not as a question, but as a demand, and whilst it was uncharacteristically sharp and _very_ forward of her, she decided to roll with this newfound power. Anakin blinked up at her, half-confused, half-proud, eyes swimming with lust. "Beg for it." she repeated, lolling his bottom lip into her mouth.

"Tell me what you want, Ani."

She was copying him, and he _knew_ it. The amount of times he'd asked her the _exact_ same thing…it only ever served to make her tremble in his arms. She suddenly decided that _she_ wanted that. She _wanted_ him to beg for it, for _her,_ to tell her what _he_ wanted, what _he_ needed.

 _"You,_ " he said darkly. Padme merely hummed and pressed wet kisses along his jaw, up towards his ear, where she took his earlobe between her teeth and sucked it hard.

"That's not specific enough, my love. _Tell_ _me_ _what_ _you_ _want_."

Anakin growled, a dark, feral sound, that sent shivers all up Padme's spine and caused her sex to flutter madly around him. _God_ , his voice _was_ sex, practically dripping with desire. He could affect her so easily, just with his words, with the tone of his voice. He turned his head just a little and licked the side of her cheek in such a dirty, erotic way. " _Fuck me,_ " he whispered softly. His words made her pull back a little, and she stared down at him, half-awed by him. He was like nothing else.

"Fuck me, Padme," he begged her again, eyes searing into her own. "I want you to fuck me. _Make_ _me_ _come_." The bluntness of his request made her _whine_. How could she refuse him, when he asked it of her so honestly, without a shred of shame or embarrassment, just with raw _need?_

So, fuck him, she did.

Padme rode him relentlessly, like a woman possessed. Anakin cursed and trembled underneath her, in pain and pleasure, as she gave him what he wanted. Her name fell repeatedly from his lips like a prayer, praising her, thanking her, and it fuelled her passion. His hips thrust up into hers of their own accord, making him snarl in agony, but he didn't stop. He was determined to reach his release, and Padme was _more_ than willing to give it to him.

"You're so fucking gorgeous right now, Angel," he told her, staring up at her in awe, his eyes drawn to the way her small breasts bobbed along her chest with the rhythm of her movements. "God, I want to touch you."

To say she didn't love the way he was looking at her would be a lie. Padme _lived_ for such adoring gazes from him, representative of the sheer desire she knew he felt only for her. And, even though she wanted him to touch her too, wanted to feel his hands on her body, she also wanted to deny him. There was just something so _sensual_ about it, so satisfying about watching the little impatient pout that pulled at his lips.

She fixed him with a sweet smile. "Then do it, Ani." His hand was on her skin in seconds, yanking away from the bedframe to rest on the dip of her waist. She shuddered at the electricity that shot up her spine from his hot touch and tipped her head back a little as he slid his hand up her delicate ribcage, to fill with her breast. Long, calloused fingers pulled at her nipple, tugging, twirling, and pinching so good, so painful and perfect, and she praised him with little, breathless cries of his name.

" _So_ _beautiful_ ," he praised her, as she reached between their bodies, to where they were joined, and gripped the base of his cock in her small hand, falling forward a little. She held him in place, right where she wanted him, then rolled her hips forward against his in slow, shallow grinds. "That's it, Angel. Get yourself there. It's so good… _so good._ "

"Yeah, Ani," she nodded, eyes fluttering closed, and constricted around him tightly, causing his breath to hitch.

Suddenly, Anakin lost himself, lost his control, and started bucking up into her relentlessly, fingers left her breast to dig sharply into the bone of her hip, to push and pull her down onto him harder, _deeper_. He was panting underneath her, moaning at the pain of it, but continuing to thrust his hips up to meet hers each time. " _Oh fuck, oh fuck,"_ he choked out, the breath pulled from his throat. "Padme, I'm – I need to…can't – "

"No, _don't,_ " Padme pleaded with him, hoarse and desperate, because she wasn't there yet, still needed more, and he couldn't finish. Not yet. "Not yet, not…"

Knowing instinctively what she needed, Anakin stretched up his neck, mouthing at the soft skin between her collarbones and slipped his hand between her legs. He found her swollen clit instantly and, coating his fingers in her wetness, began rubbing furious circles over it, coaxing her swiftly towards her approaching orgasm as she continued to rise and fall over him.

" _Anakin, Anakin, Ani, oh, yes, Ani,"_ she chanted into the night, and shifted her pelvis, seeking the sweet pressure of his fingers. Her arm shook under the strain of holding her entire body up, and she balled her fist into the sheets of her bed, willing herself to remain strong, but the pleasure he was giving her made her _weak._ The tremors started small, a slow burn deep in her core, but slowly built up, racing through her blood until her entire body trembled, and her eyes rolled back into her head, eyelids closed, and she went dizzy with it.

"Okay...okay, _now_ \- " her voice cracked.

She gave the order with a little, shaky nod of her head, and Anakin obliged, pressing his thumb firmly, mercilessly against her clit, and she screamed, head rolling back, limply. He came in two, jerky thrusts of his hips with a low grunt of her name, and it was _all_ Padme could do _not_ to fall forward onto him and crush his slowly healing ribs. Instead, she leaned backwards, into the strong embrace of Anakin's muscled thighs, which he had bent up at the knees to support her, keeping her hand wrapped tightly around his cock as some sort of anchor. Her entire body heaved one, great shudder, that stretched from her head, down her spine, to her toes that were curled underneath her feet.

It felt like years before she could finally open her eyes. Her lids were heavy, and her pulse was pounding loudly in her ears as she gazed down at Anakin affectionately. He was grinning up at her, all stupid and sappy and giddy, with the skin pulled tight around his half-hooded eyes in that little post-sex smile of his that she adored so much. She felt a rush of giddy happiness seize her, and she forced herself – rather clumsily – to lean forward, and carded her fingers through his hair. "I love you," she whispered, hovering above his swollen lips. Perhaps she said it too often, but it never made it any less true. Padme didn't think she would _ever_ tire of uttering those three, precious little words to him.

Anakin didn't respond verbally. He simply tangled his fist up in her hair and closed the distance between their mouths, kissing her languidly and slowly, taking his time. " **That** was _much_ better than Skype," he muttered, not quite pulling away from her mouth. She could feel the teasing smirk that curved his lips.

"Agreed," she gave him a lazy smile, a soft giggle slipped past her lips.

"My ribs don't agree."

With a frown, Padme sat up and moved off of him, plopping down beside him. She placed her hand on his shoulder and lightly traced his fingertips down his chest, following the action with her eyes. "I'm sorry, Ani," she apologized truthfully. She hadn't wanted to hurt him.

With a soft, reassuring smile, he cupped her wandering hand and brought it up to his mouth, kissing each of her fingers tenderly before placing an open mouthed kiss on her palm. "Don't be sorry. It was **more** than worth it. Besides," he grinned, "I wasn't going to _let_ you stop."

Padme rolled her eyes playfully. "I don't know whether you're brave or stupid."

"Neither," he replied honestly. "I'm just in love with you."

The statement was so simple, so raw and true that tears pricked at her eyes, and _all_ she could do was beam brilliantly over at him. She felt _full_ , so full of love for him. He _completed_ her in every way, filled the void in her soul that she hadn't known was there until he'd come back into her life, and she never wanted to part with him _ever_ again. She felt like _he_ was her _life_ _force_.

To distract her from bursting into ridiculous, irrational tears, she got up and went to retrieve a cloth from the bathroom and then sat back down beside Anakin. "May I?" she asked shyly, flicking her eyes down to his slowly softening cock and then back up to his face. Normally, after they had sex, Anakin took care of cleaning himself up, but it was too difficult for him now.

He was obviously _just_ as embarrassed as she was about this, for his cheeks were tinged red and he swallowed, raking his good hand through his hair, sheepishly. "Y-you don't have to…"

Shaking her head, Padme beamed at him sweetly. "I don't mind, Ani."

When he gave a feeble nod of consent, she went to work, peeling off the condom and then wiping him down. She kept a blank face, trying not to focus on how _intimate_ this was…more so than even giving him a blowjob, somehow… she couldn't explain it. But, there was also something _reassuring_ about it as well. They were comfortable enough with each other to do this. And, that pleased her immensely.

When she was finished and he was all cleaned up, she tossed the condom in the trash bin and the cloth in the laundry basket in her closet, before crawling back in bed beside Anakin. He curled his arm around her and kissed her cheek sweetly, muttering " _thank_ _you"_ into her ear, full of sincere gratitude.

Padme sighed happily, running her foot along the long slope of his calf. "Not at all," she assured him.

Humming contentedly, Anakin continued his gentle stroking of her sweat-dampened hair, lulling her into a soft, pliant state. It was his favourite thing to do after their lovemaking; he could turn from passionate and consuming one moment to sweet and gentle the next.

"I'm sorry, Padme." His voice was tinged with sadness, as he whispered into the night, her room darkened save for the moonlight slanting through the window blinds casting beams of silver across the bed.

She gave his hand a quick squeeze and glanced curiously up at him. "What for?"

When he met her eyes, his gaze was serious. "For ruining our reunion."

Smiling sadly at him, she shook her head. "It doesn't matter, Ani. We're here now. That's _all_ that matters."

"Still," Anakin persisted stubbornly. "I ruined our first Valentine's Day together, and I want to make it up to you."

Padme hummed, considering his humble request, before she was struck with a deliciously _naughty_ idea. He wanted to make it up to her? She could think of many, _many_ ways in which he could fulfill his wish.

Lifting an eyebrow, she smirked. "Are you _sure_ that's what you want?" she challenged.

"Of course," he replied immediately, oblivious to her intent, which only made it that much sweeter. "Anything you want, Angel."

 _Anything, hmmm?_

With a wicked grin, she hoisted her leg back over his waist, perching herself over his thighs and leaned over him. The way his blue eyes widened in obvious- yet _surprised_ \- excitement made her chuckle. Typical. Anakin was _always_ ready for sex, even when he was spent and exhausted. _Well,_ she thought cheekily to herself, _you've got another thing coming, Mister._

"I'm going to hold you to that, Anakin Skywalker, because a girl doesn't like to be... _disappointed,_ " she warned him, eyes flashing with mischief. There was something so _thrilling_ about this suddenly dominant side of her, and she was going to wield it for as long as she could. "You want to make it up to me? You're going to have to _work_ for it."

His hand slid teasingly up the back of her bare thigh, as his tongue slipped out to wet his lips erotically, half-hooded eyes raking over her face. "How…?"

Padme grinned and pressed her lips to his and licked around the edges of his mouth, and Anakin parted his lips instinctively, allowing her entrance. "Why," she replied breathily, "with this _wonderful_ mouth of yours, of course."

If Anakin had been surprised before by her behaviour, it was nothing compared to _this._ He let out a long, low, aroused moan, his blue eyes growing impossibly dark, and he cursed silently under his breath. Then, before he had a chance to protest or even question her, she skilfully shuffled up his body, bracing her knees on either side of his head, until she was hovering right above his mouth. Her hands gripped the headboard tightly, keeping herself in position. An enthused hiss issued from underneath her.

"You know what to do, Ani," she whispered, glancing down to see his eyes alight with wonder and lust, a prideful smile across his face.

"You're _so_ **beautiful** ," he told her reverently. "And, you've _shaved_ a bit, too," he observed with a pleased little laugh. "You _really_ wanted to surprise me, huh?" Then his hand was on her hip, and he was guiding her down towards his eager mouth. At first, he gave her sweet, gentle kisses, rubbing his nose in her soft curls, breathing her scent in, making her sigh in pleasure. _Then_ , he got his tongue to work, licking broad, flat strokes against her dripping sex, and Padme exhaled in wonder at how _willing_ he was. He lapped at her essence worshipfully, and the little moans and whines of pleasure _he_ was making caused Padme to mewl in pleasure herself. " _So_ … _good_ …" he praised her between licks. " _Taste_ _so_ _good_ …"

All Padme could do was close her eyes and swivel her hips over his mouth, as he nuzzled and suckled and feasted on her flesh like it was his last meal and she was a ripe piece of fruit. He performed his task with well-practiced skill, dipping inside her with the pointed tip of his tongue to collect _more_ of her dripping arousal and swallowing, before stretching up and lapping repeatedly at her swollen bud, flicking his tongue rapidly in a fluttering caress across her nub.

It was pure ecstasy.

Padme gripped the headboard tightly, until her knuckles turned white, and her thighs began to shake with the effort of holding herself up, and the pleasure Anakin was causing within her. His hand on her hip grew painfully tight as he encouraged her slow grinding, rubbing herself greedily against him. She _should_ have been embarrassed by what she was doing, by what _he_ was doing _to_ her, but she was too far gone for such concerns. All that occupied her thoughts was her encroaching orgasm and Anakin's delightfully sinful mouth.

"Oh my god," she moaned into the night, her head tipped back and her teeth sunk forcefully into her lip as Anakin took her sensitive clit between his teeth and suckled on it fervently. " _Ani, Ani…yes… so good!"_ Suddenly, white hot pleasure seized her in a frenzied torrent, and she cried out, her thighs clamping tightly around his head and her entire body shuddering as her climax hit. She slumped forward from the intensity of it, her breathing heavy and rasping, and rested her sweaty forehead against the wall. Her legs shook, and it was only with the help of Anakin's hand that she stopped herself from smothering him and cutting off his ability to breathe. She felt electrified, like she was flying out of her skin, and it took her a moment to regain her consciousness.

Anakin's eyes were molten pools of lust as they blinked up at her from underneath her, and it was only then that Padme realized he was _turned on_ by this. Pleasuring her had _aroused_ him. She bit her lip as another idea hit her. Who was she to take her pleasure but deny him his own? Especially when he had been _so good_ , obeyed her so _well._

He deserved a reward. A _special_ reward.

Lifting her hips up, she awkwardly spun around, repositioning herself to face away from the wall and leaned over Anakin's body as it lay stretched out before her. Sure enough, he was fully erect, throbbing and swollen with _need_ , protruding proudly from a bed of short, dark blonde curls. Padme admired him again for a moment. It certainly was an impressive sight, as always, and oddly _attractive._ The acknowledgment surprised her a little – she'd never thought she would _ever_ find this particular part of the male anatomy pleasant to look at, but there was something strangely _beautiful_ about his cock. Perhaps it was because it was a part of _him_ , and Anakin was the most stunning person on the entire planet, and it made sense that even his cock would be beautifully sculpted. Or, perhaps it reminded her of how _wonderful_ it felt when inside her, filling her, causing her pleasure. Either way, she enjoyed looking at him.

To express her _thorough_ appreciation, she stretched out her neck and pressed a sweet kiss to the tip of him. He made a strangled groan at the contact. "W-what are you d-doing, Angel?" he asked breathlessly, as her feminine folds hovered over his mouth.

It was a fair enough question. Padme hadn't done _this_ before exactly. She'd given him blowjobs before, of course, but she didn't even _know_ where the idea to try something like _this_ had come from. It must have stemmed from her sudden feeling of feminine _empowerment,_ because she was willing to explore something that even _Dorme_ had confessed to only having done once before. Glancing over her shoulder at him through wisps of her cascading curls, she flashed him a wicked grin. "What does it look like I'm doing, Ani?"

"Y-you don't… I mean, I don't expect you to…" he stammered immediately.

For some reason, his concern was endearing to her. _"Anakin,"_ she said his name slowly, letting it roll sensually off her tongue. _"I want to."_ He swallowed thickly, eyes wide in complete adoration. "I _want_ to make **_you_ ** feel good…while you make _me_ feel good."

His eyes almost popped out of his head. "You want to… _while_ I'm…? Are you _sure_?" When she nodded bravely in response, he cursed roughly under his breath, his pupils dilated in his arousal. "Okay, okay… _fuck…_ " he groaned when she leaned down and wrapped her mouth around him and suckled at the head, and he responded by gripping her hip tightly and once again plunging his mouth on her.

It was the strangest, yet most erotic thing she'd _ever_ done. And, it _was_ difficult. Padme tried to concentrate on pleasuring him, on taking him all the way into her mouth as she had done before, but it was hard for her to fully commit herself when Anakin was making her body sing so deliciously at the other end of the bed. It seemed that he was faced with the same dilemma, as whenever she dug her tongue into his slit or swirled it in circles around his swollen head, he would hiss and moan and temporarily stop his task just to bask in the pleasure he was feeling. Still, Padme was determined to make it as pleasurable for him as was possible.

Indeed, he _deserved_ this reward.

From her position, on her hands and knees above him, it was too difficult for her to sink down on him the way she would have liked to, because he was rather _big,_ and she had a hard enough time just holding herself up like _this...especially_ when Anakin was pleasuring _her_ so intensely, too. So, she did what she could and applied her tongue in ways she _never_ had thought of before, flittering it across the head then licking deep and long down his shaft and back up. Each stroke of her tongue was accompanied by a rock of her hips, and she soon settled into what she decided felt like a comfortable rhythm.

They didn't speak, but they didn't need to. Proof of their mutual pleasure was heard in their gasping and moaning and panting. Already sensitive from two powerful climaxes, Padme reached her third in no time, whimpering hoarsely as she pulled away just for a moment, to let the rapture wash over her again in wondrous waves of fulfillment. Once she had calmed down, she continued her ministrations, bringing her hand into play, and wrapped it tightly around his base, pumping him steadily into her mouth. His strong thighs twitched beside her head as he fought for control, and his hand left her hip to fist into the sheets of her bed. Eyes snapping shut, he arched off the bed, hissing in pain, and began jerking his hips up to meet her mouth.

" _Fuck, **yes** …oh fuck, Padme, I'm… I'm…"_ He throbbed and twitched, then with a sudden jolt, spilled himself into her mouth, and Padme swallowed everything he gave her, drinking down his seed eagerly. It had been _so_ long since she'd last tasted him on her tongue, and she'd almost missed it, in a bizarre way. Just missed _him,_ missed _Anakin._ It was such a luxury to be with him like this, in this way, re-exploring his body, familiarizing herself again with the salty taste of his skin.

Eventually, his body relaxed, and Padme let him fall from her lips gently, before moving off of him and turning around. She was struck by the look on Anakin's face; eyes wide, mouth parted, chin slick with her own essence as he stared at her like she was some sort of divine being. "Y-you…" he began, voice rough and hoarse. _"You're beyond incredible."_

Blushing furiously, she played with the ends of her hair and moved up beside him. "I just…I wanted to try something a little… _different_ …"

This time, it was Anakin's turn to blush, and he darted his eyes to his lap, before dragging them up to meet hers again. "I've never done _that_ before," he admitted in a quiet whisper.

Now, _that_ was surprising to hear.

"R-really?!" she blurted out, in spite of herself, because she couldn't hardly believe it. _He_ was the one with all the experience, after all.

He snorted a chuckle. "It is _really_ that hard to believe, Angel?"

She tossed her hair over her shoulder and gave him a pointed look. " _Well-l-l_ ," she began, diplomatically, shrugging her shoulders. "Out of the two of us, _you're_ the one with the most experience. I just…I guess I just assumed you'd…"

Anakin shook his head and darted his hand across to take hold of her own. "No. Never. It's too - it's too _intimate_...I suppose. I've **never** been like that with anyone, _done_ that with anyone else...except you, Angel." His fingers trailed delicately up her arm to cup the back of her neck, before he drew her down to his mouth for a kiss. She could taste herself on his lips, but it didn't repulse her. Only reiterated how truly _intimate_ their relationship was, how much they loved and trusted each other. "So, did I make it up to you?" he winked at her when he pulled away.

Feigning nonchalance, she pursed her lips and shrugged. "You did alright."

" _Alright?!"_ he scoffed, raising his eyebrows at her, mouth opening in shock. " _Excuse me?!_ Were you not a part of what just happened here?! Because what just happened here was _more_ than just ' _alright.'_ It was pretty fucking awesome!

She grinned at him, eyes flashing with mischief. "It was _alright._ "

He reached up and pinched her nipple hard, making her gasp a little. "Stop being stubborn and admit it. I'm a sex god."

Padme rolled her eyes. " _Sex god?_ Who told you _that?_ Do you have some girl back in Chicago who tells you such silly things?"

"Not yet," he teased. "But, I might need to get one, y'know. Find someone who fully appreciates my _skill._ "

Laughing darkly, she nipped his earlobe and licked around the shell of his ear, sensually. "As if I would _let_ you. I'd tie you to the bed and hold you prisoner. You're _mine_ , Ani. _All_ mine, and only _mine._ "

His eyes darkened lustily, a wolfish grin on his lips, and he traced the swell of her breast with his long, calloused fingers. "You're _really_ digging this whole _dominance_ thing tonight, aren't you?"

She shrugged and gave him a playful wink. "It's the power of lingerie, Ani."

"Well then, feel free to wear lingerie _all_ the time, my Angel."

They fell into a deep, sensual kiss, and then Padme curled into his side and pulled the blankets up around them. He kept his arm around her, his hand resting possessively on her hip, as she snuggled into his shoulder, and within minutes, they were both asleep, exhausted, sated and hopelessly in love. Padme sighed contentedly as she floated between that state somewhere between sleep and awake, and a smile curled her lips. She was in bed, with Anakin nestled snugly next to her, his arm securely wrapped around her, and she felt happier than she had in _months._

She was _home._


	30. Chapter 30

_**A/N: I'm so sorry about how long this chapter took. Honestly, it actually took me forever to perfect. I apologise. But... it's longer, so there's that, I suppose. I can honestly say that happier times are ahead. That's a promise :) Anyway, please enjoy this chapter. Hopefully, the next one won't be as long of a wait (I make no promises).**_

* * *

 **Chapter 30**

When Padme woke the next morning, she was actually _sore_. The last time she'd been sore after having sex was when she'd lost her virginity to Rush Clovis, and that had _hardly_ been a pleasurable experience. Yet, when she rolled onto her side and sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of her bed, she felt the almost forgotten pains deep inside her core, and it brought a wry smile to her lips. Dorme had often confessed that such pains were common after particularly rough sex, but even though she and Anakin hadn't been _rough_ , exactly, she'd been completely stretched by him, and after two months of nothing, it was bound to leave her sore.

Beside her, Anakin began to stir, his left hand roaming the bed as he searched for her. She turned back around and caught his wandering fingers, squeezing them gently. "Good morning, Ani" she greeted him brightly.

He smiled up at her, slow and lazy, and laced their fingers together. "Mmm, yes, it _is_." He brought her hand up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it before releasing it.

With a yawn, she stood up and stretched, before bending down and picking up his t-shirt off the floor and throwing it over her body. Like everything else of Anakin's, it was _enormous_ , and swallowed her tiny petite frame, ending between the curve of her ass and mid-thigh and hanging off her shoulders like a sack, the V-neck opening exposing the tops of her breasts, her nipples clearly outlined by the white cotton. He chuckled at her, and she whipped around, fixing him with a pointed stare, as she pulled her long curly locks out of the shirt, allowing the tresses to tumble down her back. "What?"

"What _is_ it with you and wearing my clothes?" he quipped, raising an eyebrow, because it wasn't the first time she'd done this. "I swear that's the _only_ reason you keep me around."

Grinning impishly, she shrugged and walked around to the other side of the bed. "You've got to serve _some_ purpose, Anakin." Then, she leaned over and kissed him sweetly on the lips, before taking his left hand in hers. "Now, let me help you get up."

She put her other arm around his shoulder and urged him to swing his legs off the bed, which caused him to groan. When he heaved himself to his feet, he let out a sharp cry of pain and stumbled forward, which only caused him to whimper again. Padme did her best to keep him upright, heavy as he was, soothing him with sweet words and gently rubs over his shoulder with her hand. "It's alright, Ani, it's alright. You're up now. Do you want a bath?"

He gave a quick nod of his head, and Padme peeked out her bedroom door to make sure the bathroom was open and Dorme wasn't in sight (as Anakin was still nude) before she lead him towards the bathroom, keeping her arm around him to steady him. She _hated_ the sounds he was emitting, so _pained,_ but there was nothing she could do about it. Even the act of _breathing_ seemed to hurt him, and looking at the mottled discoloration along his ribs, she vaguely wondered _how_ he'd managed to make love to her last night in such a state. It must have been some sort of lust-filled haze that had temporarily blocked his pain. Smirking to herself, she had to admit she must have been good medicine for him last night.

Once they were in the bathroom, Padme shut the door and set about running him a bath. While the hot water was running, filling the tub, she went out to the kitchen to grab a small plastic trash bag, then returned and tied it around Anakin's cast so it wouldn't get wet.

"You don't have to do all this, y'know," he muttered sheepishly, his eyes fixed on her fingers as they tied a knot in the plastic bag, securing it tightly.

She beamed up at him and kissed his cheek sweetly. "Don't be silly, Ani. I _want_ to take care of you."

When the bath was ready, she helped him step gingerly into the steaming water, steadying him because she didn't want him to fall over and assisted him as he sat down. He winced and groaned, but Padme tried to block out his pained noises, because she needed to focus on keeping him upright. His long limbs looked hilarious cramped in the small bathtub, and it took a moment for him to settle down comfortably, bending his knees up, but once he was ready, he smiled up at her in gratitude. "Thank you, Angel."

Padme pressed a kiss to the top of his hair, running her hands through it tenderly. "Just relax. I'm going to go make us some breakfast, okay?"

His lips curled into a teasing smirk. " _You?_ Make breakfast? Are you _sure_ you're not trying to kill me?"

She clicked her tongue. "Well...If you're going to be _ungrateful_ , then maybe I won't make you anything…"

"Not ungrateful," he held his left hand up in surrender. "Just… _surprised..._ is all _._ You _never_ cook."

"I _want_ to take care of you, Ani, and I do so cook... _sometimes._ "

His blue eyes grew soft with affection. "You don't have to – "

"Oh my _god!"_ she cried, suddenly sick of his sacrificial attitude. "Anakin, you are the _worst_ patient in the entire world! Just _let_ me take care of you, dammit!" Then, without even fully considering what she was doing, she pulled his shirt up over her head and threw it on the floor.

Swallowing thickly at the sight of her naked before him, he watched her with wide eyes. "W-what are you…? Angel, _what_ are you doing?"

She smiled coyly at him. "I'm going to help you wash off." She twisted her hair up into a messy knotted bun on top of her head before turning back to face him.

"You're _really_ trying to kill me aren't you?"

With a wink, she grinned down at him. "Yes. Now, scoot up. I'm getting in behind you."

He did as he was told, having accepted that Padme was fully in charge while he was injured, though he made no further complaint, so she assumed he wasn't _entirely_ against the whole idea. Carefully sliding in behind him, she braced her legs on either side of his hips and, grabbing her soap and a washcloth, began to wash him.

There was something strangely _intimate_ about what she was doing to him, and she felt herself hum with contentedness as she lathered soap all along the hard, broad plane of his back and shoulders, kneading the tight muscles gently with her fingers. He had a beautiful back; she often enjoyed watching the way his muscles glided smoothly over his shoulder blades and how they rippled and pulsed with every movement he made, when he would walk around her apartment shirtless. It was always a pleasing sight to her, because he really _was_ a beautifully sculpted specimen of raw _virile_ masculinity.

Cupping her hands together, she poured water on his blonde locks to wet his hair, then grabbed her coconut scented shampoo next, and poured some on top of his head. Setting the bottle down, her wandering fingers then went to work in his hair, massaging his scalp tenderly, soaping his hair thoroughly, and then she reached behind her to find the small bath bucket, and used it to scoop and pour water over him, making sure he shielded his eyes so he wouldn't get soap in them. Padme repeated this again, and again, until she was satisfied that he was clean, and then the two of them just lay there, relaxing in the still hot bath water, basking in each other's presence and the familiarity of their love.

"Thank you," Anakin muttered quietly, leaning his head back on her shoulder and turned to nuzzle his nose against her neck, and she leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder, placing a tender kiss on his temple and letting her fingers run up and down his left arm in a soothing manner. "For doing all this. I hope I'm not too much of a burden."

He was ashamed, even embarrassed, of having to ask her to help him, and it made her heart ache. She pressed a sweet kiss to the side of his cheek and squeezed his fingers. "You're not a burden, Ani," she told him, earnestly. "You're injured, and you need my help. That's _nothing_ to be embarrassed about."

"I know," he sighed, and shifted in the tub, wincing again, before settling back against her chest more comfortably.

Gritting her teeth in determination, for Padme needed to get him to understand that she _liked_ taking care of him, she rubbed her hands tenderly over his upper arms, chest, and shoulders and dusted soft, feather-light kisses over his golden skin. "Ani, I like doing this," she quietly assured him through kisses. "I _want_ to take care of you. I _love_ you. Okay?"

His left hand dipped under the water and found her thigh as it lay beside him, and he caressed it tenderly, in response to her words. Padme knew what his silence meant; he wanted her to keep talking, to keep reassuring him that he wasn't a burden on her. He _needed_ her to stroke his ego, and so she was going to do just that.

Kissing up along his shoulder towards the nape of his neck, she rested her hands on his shoulders and began to massage them gently, her thumbs moving in a practiced circular motion which drew a contented groan from him. "You need to _let_ me, Ani," she breathed in his ear softly. " _Relax_. Let me take care of you." She danced her fingertips down his back and over his hips into whisper soft touches over the tops of his muscular thighs. As she slowly inched her way higher and higher, relishing in the way his breath caught in his throat, she nuzzled his neck and gently bit and suckled his earlobe. "Will you? Will you let me?" she whispered in his ear.

A muffled moan of consent was _all_ she needed before she grazed her fingertips delicately along his rapidly stiffening cock below the water. "W-what are you…?" he stammered, turning his head and tilting it back to stare at her with wide eyes, darkening quickly with desire.

"Taking care of you, Ani," she replied sweetly, softly, dragging her lips along his neck, nipping and suckling his flesh teasingly. Grinning triumphantly into his skin, she began to slowly stroke him up and down with the back of her nails, teasing him to a hard full-erection. Then, she wrapped her hand around him and began to pump him firmly, squeezing hard on every tug downwards. Her breasts pressed right up against his back as she used her other hand to reach lower, fondling, cupping, and rubbing circles on his heavy sack gently, feeling the thin, smooth skin slide over her fingers. She rubbed her legs suggestively up and down his calves, the rough blonde hair on his legs tickling her skin and contrasting vividly with the slide of her supple upper thighs against the smooth skin of his hips.

All Anakin could do was relax into it, closing his eyes and leaning his head completely back on her shoulder as he whispered her name repeatedly, soft moans and groans passed through his lips to tickle her ear and ruffle the wispy tendrils of her hair at her temple, as she brought him pleasure with her skilful hands. Even though it was a little _erotic_ and _dirty_ , doing this while in the bath together, Padme found that she wasn't at all embarrassed by it. On the contrary, she _relished_ in it. There was something intensely _personal_ and _romantic_ about it, in doing something like this together. It helped reinforce their unity as a couple _._ She couldn't explain it, but she felt… _generous._ Selfless. Giving him pleasure and taking care of him and his needs _,_ putting _him_ first, without expecting anything for herself in return. She _loved_ him, speaking to him with her actions, rather than words.

It was slow and deliberate, but when she felt him throb in her fist, she smiled to herself. " _Padme…_ " he moaned, hoarsely. "I'm…I'm gonna…"

"Do it," she encouraged him sweetly, in his ear, whispering encouragement as she quickened her strokes. "Come, Ani. Come for me. _Let go._ "

She watched his face, enthralled, as he erupted in her hand, his hips involuntarily thrusting his shaft up into her grasp as he came, and she was entranced by the way his eyes fluttered madly beneath his closed lids and the way he bit down firmly on his plump, bottom lip, a long, low growl of satisfaction rumbling from deep in his chest. It was such a _beautiful_ expression, so honest and real, just like _everything_ about him.

He shuddered in her tight embrace and winced with his release, and she continued to whisper to him, soothing him, praising him, until he eventually slumped back against her torso, relaxed and sated, and leaned his head further back against the crook of her shoulder, tilting his head to place a tender kiss below her ear.

Padme stroked his wet hair fondly before crossing her arms over his upper chest, holding him snugly against her, and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Padme," he told her, softly, twisting his head to stare at her with those gorgeous blue eyes of his that never failed to make her melt. "Not just for… _this,_ but for _everything_. For taking _care_ of me. You really are an Angel, y'know... _My_ _Angel._ "

Despite herself, tears pricked at her eyes at the deep gratitude and love in his words, and she beamed brightly at him, leaning down to nuzzle his cheek, placing a sweet kiss on the corner of his lips. She didn't say anything, for there was nothing to say. Her absolute love for him had been expressed so many times over the last few days that there was no need to respond verbally. He _knew_. Instead, she just held him tightly in her loving arms. After all the time they'd spent apart, she'd had precious little opportunity to hold him in her arms like this, so she took full advantage of it. Anakin certainly didn't seem to mind.

It was only when the bath water started to grow cold and the skin on their fingers and toes began to wrinkle, that they decided they needed to get out. Anakin sat upright, and Padme stepped out first, then helped him out, letting him lean on her for support. She then set about drying him off, patting and rubbing down his body with a fresh towel, taking extra care to be gentle with his chest, as his bruising was still tender. Nevertheless, her ministrations still managed to elicit an _excited_ response from him, which she chose to ignore despite the twinkle in his eye and the smirk he gave her. Once he was dry, and she had effectively dried herself, she threw Anakin's t-shirt back over her body and wrapped the towel snuggly around his waist.

"I'm just going to shave," he informed her as she stood back up, and she nodded her head, kissing his lips once more – simply relishing in the fact that she could _do_ that again – and then headed out the door toward the kitchen to start breakfast (but not before he had playfully swatted her on her backside and gave her another wink).

Dorme was awake, making herself some morning coffee, and turned around at the sound of Padme's bare feet padding across the tiles. Padme beamed at her, practically _glowing_ with happiness, but her best friend, it seemed, did not reciprocate her joy.

With a deep frown, she pursed her lips. "You _really_ need to soundproof your bedroom," she remarked rather bitterly, narrowing her eyes at Padme over her mug of coffee.

Padme tipped her head to the side in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

With a dramatic sigh, Dorme fixed her with a stern glare. "It's _really_ hard to get to sleep at night when your roommate and her boyfriend are having the _loudest_ fucking sex in the world!"

Her cheeks flushed bright red, and she lowered her gaze, suddenly feeling sheepish and embarrassed. "Oh."

"Do you know how _awkward_ that is?! Hearing you guys moaning like **that** at the top of your voices?!"

Padme shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet her best friend's gaze. "I'm… I'm _so_ sorry, I didn't realize we were so..."

" _Raucous_?" Dorme drolly remarked with a raise of an eyebrow.

"Well… _yeah_ ," Padme conceded with a quick nod. She felt incredibly guilty. She could only imagine how awkward that must have been for her best friend.

Shaking her head, Dorme sipped at her coffee, but Padme didn't miss the smirk that played at her lips. "Look, I _do_ understand. Totally. I'm glad you're both… _happy_ … but, could you _try_ to keep it down? _Please?!_ For me? I need my beauty sleep, y'know."

Smiling coyly, Padme winked at her. "We'll _try_ … but I can't guarantee anything. Anakin is _very_ …"

" _Passionate?"_ Dorme supplied with a smirk.

" _Yes_."

"How long's he staying for?" Dorme asked weakly.

Padme shrugged. "About a week."

With a groan, Dorme frowned sullenly. "I think I'm gonna have to sleep on Trey's couch for a while." She yawned, stretched her arms, and then headed back into her bedroom, grumbling under her breath as she went.

As guilty as she felt, Padme decided to pay her no mind, because she knew Dorme wasn't _that_ offended, and instead, began to start breakfast; Anakin's favourite – blueberry pancakes with real maple syrup and bacon. She'd never cooked pancakes from scratch before, but she was determined to give it a shot. How hard could it be, really? Dorme made pancakes all the time. It should be simple.

With her mind focused, she bent to retrieve the mixing bowls out from the bottom cupboard, and then sorted out all the necessary ingredients and placed them on the counter. Except, because the flour was on the very top shelf of the pantry, she couldn't reach it, even when she stretched up on her toes. She growled in annoyance, cursing her lack of height, and was about to call for Dorme to come out and help her, when she felt a warm solid body press flush against her back and looked up to see Anakin's hand pulling the flour container down from the shelf for her. She turned and glanced up at him in surprise, and he smirked down at her, blue eyes amused and twinkling, before bending to kiss her sweetly, and once again, she turned into a puddle of goo. But, when he pulled away, he winked at her and whispered, "Midget," and she once again came to her senses and pouted up at him petulantly.

"I am _not_ a midget," she huffed, crossing her arms. "I'm just… _vertically challenged._ Who puts flour on the top shelf anyway?"

"Normal-sized people," Anakin sniggered, blue eyes dancing with mischief.

"I _am_ normal sized," Padme protested. "It's not my fault I'm surrounded by _giants._ " Anakin towered over her tiny frame at six foot two, and Dorme was the ultimate svelte at five foot ten. Padme, herself being only a measly five foot four, constantly felt like she was one of the Munchkins from _The Wizard of Oz._

Anakin merely chuckled at her irritated expression, amused by her reaction. "Wow, what they say about short people is true," he jested, lips twitching.

"Oh, _really?_ And, what's _that?_ " she demanded hotly, fixing him with a stern glare.

He winked at her again, that infuriating, impish smirk still on his face. "They're angrier because they're closer to hell."

Padme glared at him, eyes narrowed coolly. "You're making fun of me."

Grinning mischievously, he bent and kissed her quickly. "Of course not," he lied smoothly. "I'd be _much_ too frightened to tease the woman who's making me breakfast." Then, with a final wink and a pinch on her bottom, he went back into her bedroom to get dressed, leaving her partially annoyed and partially amused, watching his retreating form with a sly smile. She'd _missed_ this…this _playful_ side of their relationship that had been absent as of late. Their lives had been filled with so much drama and emotion, it was a nice, and very welcome change.

Now that she was alone in the kitchen, without any distractions, she began to cook breakfast. It wasn't as hard as she first thought; at least, putting all the dry ingredients in the bowl and mixing them together was simple, and frying the bacon up in a pan was just as easy.

She laughed while she worked, as she sang that old TV tune to herself about being bringing home the bacon and frying it up in a pan...and _never_ letting him forget he's a man, and she suddenly realized she was _giddy_ with happiness, being able to take care of _her_ man this way. She was _amazed_ she'd never done this before for Anakin. It was almost… _fun._ But, once it came to actually pouring the pancake mixture into the pan and trying to make these perfectly round circles, the task grew exceedingly more challenging. Particularly when she tried to flip them. They stuck to the bottom of the pan – which she'd forgotten to grease properly with the non-stick spray – and when she tried lifting them with the spatula, they fell apart. Apparently, she discovered, you were supposed to _wait_ until little bubbles popped on the surface before flipping; otherwise, they were still gooey in the middle, but nowhere in the recipe did it say _that_ , Padme was certain!

However, by her third attempt, she managed to get the hang of it, and they didn't turn out _too_ bad…not as circular as she'd hoped for, but golden and fluffy with just the right amount of blueberries. She'd just finished the last batch when Anakin strode out, looking slightly dishevelled and a bit irritated, and sat down on the kitchen barstool. She gave him a once over, then cocked her head to the side. "What's wrong, Ani?"

He pursed his lips and sighed, looking sulky. "I never fully appreciated my ribs before now, or my right arm."

Padme laughed in spite of herself, because the way he was complaining was so childish. "Did you have a bit of trouble getting dressed?" she asked, turning back around to turn the bacon one last time. It hissed and spat as it sizzled in the pan, but she took that as a good sign.

Anakin groaned. "You have _no_ idea. It's fucking painful."

"Do you need more meds?" she asked immediately, looking at him over her shoulder, concerned for his pain.

He shook his head. "Nah, I'm alright now. I've gotta get used to it, I suppose. It'll be like this for a while at least."

Even though it was true, Padme hated seeing him in pain. Especially when there was nothing she could do about it. "I'm sorry, Anakin," she muttered.

"Don't apologize, Padme. It's just how it is." He inhaled deeply and smiled warmly at her. "This smells _amazing_ , Angel. I admit, I'm impressed."

She flushed at his praise, feeling proud of herself for successfully cooking breakfast for the first time. "Don't speak too soon, Ani," she warned him with a smirk. "You haven't _tasted_ them yet," and her comment made him chuckle.

As she stretched up to reach for the plates in the top cupboard, Anakin suddenly let out a strangled, _aroused,_ groan. " _Babe_ , you're killing me, here."

" _Babe_?" She turned around, eyeing him curiously, enjoying the way he was staring at her unabashedly, all lusty and predatory. "I thought I was your _Angel_?"

He shook his head, his eyes turning a dark midnight blue. "Not right now, you're not. You're more like the devil. Every time you stretch up, my shirt rides up, giving me a nice little sneaky peek of your cute butt." He made this face, as though it was actually tormenting him, and Padme grinned at his dramatics.

"You think my butt's cute, do you?" she simpered, batting her eyes at him in an attempt at being coy.

" _Very_." Anakin leaned closer, eyes impossibly dark as he swept his gaze over her from head to toe and muttered in a low voice, "Babe, if I didn't have broken ribs, I'd _so_ bend you over the counter and _take_ you right now."

His bold declaration made her flush with heat and her dormant arousal spiked. He always did that, teased her, flirted with her, making her uncomfortable. It was like he got some sort of _enjoyment_ out of seeing her squirm. "What if Dorme came back out and saw us, huh?"

"That's her problem. It wouldn't stop me."

Shaking her head at him, Padme giggled at his wanton expression and then served up breakfast. She had to help Anakin cut up his food, for he was struggling with one arm, but she didn't mind at all, even though he grumbled about it the entire time, but he stopped grumbling after the first bite and complimented her sincerely on her cooking, as it _was_ delicious _,_ which left her feeling immensely pleased with herself.

When they were halfway through their meal, Padme's phone began to ring, and she hurriedly went to answer it. Surprisingly, it was her father. _Again._ He'd _never_ called her so much since she'd been at Harvard, she swore.

"Hi, Dad," she greeted him cheerfully.

" _Hello, Padme. How are you? And, how's Anakin? Is he out of the hospital yet?"_

"I'm alright. Ani's doing okay. He's still in quite a bit of pain, but it's not _too_ bad. He was discharged yesterday."

 _"_ _Good, good,"_ he cleared his throat. _"What are your plans for tonight? I was wondering if the two of you wanted to have dinner with me? At our usual place?"_

Padme couldn't contain her shock at his offer. He wanted to have dinner with her? _And,_ Anakin? _Why_ was her father being so… _nice_ to him all of a sudden? She still remembered his cold treatment of Anakin when they'd stayed at the estate before Christmas. As far as she knew (because he hadn't said otherwise), he _still_ felt the same as he had then – that Anakin, in _his_ opinion, wasn't good enough for his youngest daughter. So, she was confused by his sudden consideration for him.

 _"_ _Padme? Are you there?"_ Ruwee called her name, breaking her hesitation.

She blinked her eyes and cleared her throat, coming out of her thoughts. "Yes, sorry, Dad. We'd…we'd love to join you."

 _"_ _Excellent. I'll make a reservation for 7 pm. See you then, Sweetheart."_

"Alright, bye, Dad."

Anakin was still struggling to eat his breakfast when she hung up and sat back down. "What did your dad want, Babe?" He asked through a mouthful of pancakes, before swallowing them thickly. Obviously, he was enjoying using his newfound nickname for her, but she secretly liked it.

Picking at her food, she explained, "He...he wants to take us out to dinner, tonight."

He almost choked on his breakfast and had to take a drink of milk to clear his throat before he could respond. " _Dinner?! With_ **_your_** _father?!_ " He was understandably stunned, his eyes wide as he looked at her.

She nodded. "Yeah. He, uh, wants to take us to our favourite little Italian place...You know, the one I keep telling you about." Padme smiled, in an attempt to soften him up and make the idea more inviting.

Clearly, Anakin was only paying attention to one thing. " _Why?_ "

"I don't know, Ani," she sighed running a hand through her hair. "Is it _really_ that big of a deal?"

He eyed her seriously. "You _do_ remember what happened the last time we had dinner with your father, right?" Padme made a face. How could she not? It hadn't been a particularly _enjoyable_ evening. "I'm not exactly his _favourite_ person, Padme."

She smiled and reached across to take his hand. "I think you've actually grown on him, y'know. He _was_ pretty concerned about you the other night."

Anakin tipped his head. "Still. How do I go about explaining _this_ situation?" He gestured to his cast. "I doubt he'll approve."

"He doesn't need to know," Padme answered instantly with a firm nod of her head.

He seemed amused by her response, for he quirked an eyebrow at her, a smirk on his lips. " **You** want me to _lie_ to your father?"

"Who said anything about lying? You had a car accident. That's the truth."

"But, not the _whole_ truth..." Anakin reminded her.

She shrugged. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him." When he still looked sceptical, she smiled and him and stretched across her seat to kiss his cheek. He was still feeling guilty about lashing out at Clovis, Padme could tell. "Ani, it's in the past. It's all over. We don't need to bring it up again." For the sake of keeping peace between Anakin and her father, Padme saw nothing wrong with keeping _that_ particular piece of information secret. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of last time.

" _Padme_..."

"Please, Ani. I want you two to get along. You're the two men I love **most** in the world. This is important to me."

Her words melted him, and he smiled sweetly at her. "Alright. If it means _that_ much to you, we'll go."

"Thank you, Ani," this time she kissed his soft lips. He tasted like maple syrup and blueberries, and she lingered a little longer than she'd intended, because she just _loved_ kissing him. It was one of her absolute favourite things to do.

They spent the rest of the day lounging about the apartment, ordering Chinese takeout for lunch and watching more Game of Thrones episodes while snuggled together on the couch. Dorme appeared from out of her bedroom sometime after midday, with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder. She muttered something about going to stay with Trey for a few days, and Padme smirked while Anakin shook with quiet laughter. At least now she wouldn't have to worry about being _quiet_ , and if she knew Anakin, and she _did_ , she knew he was _definitely_ going to make the most of this week alone together before he went back to Chicago, broken ribs or not. The _look_ in his eye turned positively _feral_ as Dorme shut the front door behind her, leaving her in no doubt of his intentions.

When it came time to get ready for dinner, Padme went to get changed, choosing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a cream, long sleeve blouse, a pale blue scarf and a grey woollen coat, with her tan ankle boots and her grey woollen beret perched on her head, as she had left her hair down at Anakin's request. She had to help Anakin into his boxers, black jeans and belt and tie up his black Converses, as well as pull his grey t-shirt over his cast, before helping him to tuck it in. He couldn't get his arm in his sweater, so he had to be content with wearing his black leather jacket, leaving his right arm out. It was uncomfortable, and he _was_ a little cold, but it was all he could manage with the angle and cumbersome size of his cast.

"Are you _sure_ you want to go out to dinner, Angel?" Anakin asked, low in her ear as she stood back up after tying his shoe laces. His hand came to rest on her waist, slipping down to cup her backside, pulling her flush against his groin. "We could just stay here. I could put my mouth to good use again, if you like?" His gaze was searing on her face, as he kneaded her ass with his fingers and suggestively wet his lips with his tongue.

She rolled her eyes, amused by his suggestion. "Nice try, Anakin, but we're going." He visibly slumped, looking a little dejected. So, to cheer him up, she slid her fingertips suggestively up his arm and purred in his ear, "But, _if_ you're a good boy and behave yourself tonight, I might be inclined to put _my_ mouth to good use when we get home."

That smartened him up _immediately,_ and he nodded, grabbing her hand and heading for the door. "Right. Let's go."

Padme chuckled as she followed him, locking the door behind them, then walking down to her car. After his accident, Anakin was understandably a little sceptical about taking a taxi, and so Padme offered to drive. Though, her Mini Cooper was definitely not built for someone of Anakin's size. Even when he was drugged up on pain medication, it was _still_ awkward for him to slide into the passenger seat, but he eventually did it, and frowned across at her, his body all curled up and squished. She just giggled at him.

Ruwee was waiting for them at their table when they arrived and stood up as they approached, hugging Padme warmly. "Hello, Sweetheart, good to see you again." He kissed her on the cheek as he pulled back, and then his eyes drifted over to Anakin. "Anakin," he held out his hand, and Anakin shook it politely, "Glad to see you are out of the hospital and looking well."

"Thank you, Sir," Anakin smiled. "Your daughter has been taking very good care of me. I couldn't be in better hands."

Beaming up at him, Padme squeezed his hand in response to his praise. Ruwee noted the interaction with a small smile. He gestured for them both to sit down, Anakin first holding Padme's chair for her as they did, then went to order drinks for them, which they both declined, Padme due to having to drive and Anakin due to being on heavy pain medication. They perused the menu in silence for a while, until a waiter came over and took their orders, Anakin deciding on the gnocchi, as he wouldn't need to cut that up and could eat it more easily.

Once the waiter had taken their menus and walked away, Ruwee cleared his throat and looked over at Padme, eyes serious. "Padme, I have something I need to tell you," he began. She frowned at the tone of his voice, and her hand instinctively flew to Anakin's thigh underneath the table, which he covered with his left hand and twined his fingers with hers, to comfort her. The gesture was much needed.

"What news?" She asked anxiously, with some trepidation. Had something happened to her mother? Her sister? What if it was something to do with her? Was she going to lose her apartment? Was he cutting her off? The possibilities were endless, and she bit her lip nervously, waiting for the proverbial bomb to drop.

With a deep sigh, Ruwee pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and sighed. "You mother and I have decided to give it a second chance."

Padme grinned happily at the news and withdrew her hand from Anakin's to reach across the table and take her father's. "Dad! That's...That's _wonderful!_ " She felt like she was a fourteen year old girl again. The mere _thought_ of her parents getting back together again, after a ten year divorce, was the _greatest_ news she'd heard in a long time. Their divorce had broken her heart, as well as their family. It had caused her separation from her mother _and_ her sister for ten years. If they were, truly, getting back together, then she wouldn't have to worry about trying to see both of her parents for Thanksgiving, or the holidays. They'd be together, one big happy family again, and even though she was twenty-four now and no longer a little girl, she twitched with excitement at the prospect.

"So, you're getting remarried?" She asked ecstatically, unable to stop smiling.

Her father smiled at her enthusiasm and shook his head. " _No_ , we're not getting remarried. We're just...Taking it slow. Seeing how it goes. We've both changed since we were married. Right now, we're just getting to know each other again. "

That only made Padme grin. "So... You're _dating?_ " She laughed, shaking her head. "I never thought I'd _ever_ say 'my parents are dating'."

Shaking his head, Ruwee sighed. "Padme, don't get your hopes up _too_ high, Sweetheart. It might not work out."

Padme brushed him off with a wave of her hand. Her father - ever the sceptic. Honestly, it's where she got _her_ scepticism from, no doubt. Still, she was _determined_ to see the bright side of this situation, because she'd been wanting this ever since her parents' divorce when she was fourteen, and now her wish was coming true. "But, it _might_. You love Mom, don't you?"

A small smile crept upon her father's face, and he nodded his head, suddenly looking a lot younger than he was. "Yes. I do. I always have."

"Then that's **all** the matters," Padme told him. "When you love someone, you do _whatever_ it takes to make it work." As she said those last words, she glanced up at Anakin, smiling sweetly. His eyes were misted over with fierce affection and, this time, it was _his_ hand that snuck across to her thigh, caressing it tenderly. Ruwee watched their interaction with unusual _fondness_ – Padme caught it out of the corner of her eye. Once again, she was surprised. Maybe she was right. Maybe Anakin _had_ grown on her father. The prospect left her tingling with happiness. She loved Anakin more than anything, and it was about time her family understood _why_ she felt the way she did about him. He was sweet and brave and had the _biggest_ heart of **anyone** she'd ever known. He deserved to be loved and respected.

" _This_ is why I didn't want to tell you," Ruwee chuckled, shaking his head. "I _knew_ you'd let it go to your head. You're _too_ optimistic, Sweetheart." Padme knew he wasn't making fun of her, just being honest. "But, your mother **insisted** that we be honest with you, and, well," he paused and sighed, though she didn't miss the little endearing smile on his face, "she'd already told your sister, so it was up to me to tell you."

Padme laughed. She could just _picture_ her mother crossing her arms and being firm, and her father sulking as he reluctantly agreed to her suggestion. "Well, I'm glad you told me, Dad."

They shared a tender smile, before Ruwee turned his attention across to Anakin. "And, if I may ask, how is _your_ mother, Anakin?" he asked.

He stiffened beside her, like he often did when talking about his mother and her condition, and at first, Padme thought he was going to close off, shut himself behind his walls in that way of his, to protect himself, but he surprised her. Instead, he nodded his head and smiled, though she didn't miss the flash of agony that caught the light of his eyes. "She's well, Sir," he informed her father. "Well, as well as she can be, I guess. I talk to her most nights, and she seems… _happy_ … but… she's tired a lot. The chemo is taking its toll on her." His voice cracked on the words, and Padme's heart yearned for him and she found his hand, squeezing his fingers tightly, expressing her love and support silently.

Ruwee nodded his head solemnly. "She's a very brave woman, your mother, from what I can gather from Jobal. Give her my regards, when you next talk to her, m'boy." Anakin nodded and muttered his thanks. "She must really appreciate hearing from you so often," he continued. "Padme _only_ calls me when something's wrong."

Padme rolled her eyes and shook her head. "That's not true, Dad!" she protested.

He smirked at her. "Oh yes, it is, Sweetheart. The last time you called me was when Anakin was in hospital and you needed me to take you to see him."

He had a point. Padme crossed her arms and pouted. "Well…I've been… _busy,_ " she insisted.

"That's what she tells _me_ , as well, Sir," Anakin interjected with a smirk, eyes flashing with mischief. "You're not the only one. Apparently, Padme is _too_ busy for the _both_ of us."

"Well then, maybe next time she needs us, _we_ might just be too… _busy_. Don't you think?"

Anakin grinned widely. "I think that's an _excellent_ idea, Sir."

Padme flicked her eyes back and forth between her father and Anakin, unable to _believe_ what she was hearing. They were making fun of her… _together._ As though they were _friends_ or something, or at least partially _liked_ each other. Even though _she_ was the target of their teasing, she didn't mind at all. They could tease her all they wanted, if it meant they got along.

Pride surged through her as she beamed at the both of them; her two favourite men in the entire world. Nothing made her happier than knowing that her father had _finally_ accepted Anakin in her life, even if only slightly. He was making an effort, she could tell, and she wanted to throw her arms around his neck and hug him tightly for _trying,_ for her sake.

"How did this happen, anyway, Anakin? If you don't mind me asking?" Ruwee inclined his head towards Anakin's cast.

Padme glanced over at him, biting her lip and praying he would stick to their agreement. " _Well_ ," he began slowly. "I was in a taxi, heading back to the airport, when we got T-boned at a set of traffic lights by another driver."

Ruwee frowned. "That's very unlucky," he said. "But, _why_ were you heading to the airport in the middle of the night? Why didn't you just stay the night with Padme? Isn't that what you normally do?"

Anakin swallowed and glanced at Padme, who pleaded with him silently to just make _something_ up. "Well, we…er – we'd had a fight, Sir, and I was going to go back to Chicago, actually."

Padme wanted to bang her forehead against the table. _Why_ did he decide to be all honest and righteous _now_ of all times, _especially_ when her father was just showing signs of coming around and actually _liking_ him?! Anakin could be seriously pig-headed sometimes.

"A fight?"

Anakin nodded. "Yes, Sir. I… _well_ , I had a bit of a – uh – _run in_ … with Padme's ex-boyfriend."

An instant scowl appeared on her father's face, and his eyes narrowed to slits behind his glasses. " _Rush_ _Clovis?_ " he snarled aggressively. Padme had _never_ seen her father look this angry before. "Let me guess…it was a physical _discussion_?"

Anakin swallowed nervously and glanced over at Padme, who glared at him, all but telling him to stop talking before he ruined the progress he'd made. Clearly, though, he was bent on ignoring her, because he nodded his head weakly and sighed. "Yes, Sir. Well, on _my_ part, anyway. I…I punched him in the face…umm, quite a few times." He hung his head in shame, and Padme felt a small pang of sympathy for him, but it was quickly replaced by sheer disbelief.

What was he _doing?_ She'd told him to keep _that_ particular piece of information secret. Her father had already accused Anakin of being a criminal once before, she didn't want him to do it again. _Especially_ not in public. She dug her nails into the flesh of Anakin's palm, urging him to _shut up_ , and prepared herself for the outburst that was likely to come from her father.

Instead, he smiled wryly and asked, "So, how did it feel? Did it feel good?"

" **Dad?!** " Padme cried out in shock, staring at her father with wide eyes. Had he just… _encouraged_ Anakin's actions?!

Ruwee looked over at her, his expression deadly serious. "Padme, I've been wanting to _punch_ that son of a bitch for **years** after what he did to you. Anakin, unfortunately, got there first. So," he redirected his focus back to Anakin, who was just as shocked as Padme, eyes blinking rapidly as he processed the sudden turn of events. "How did it _feel?_ "

Anakin hesitated, unsure of how to answer the question, before he swallowed thickly and nodded his head, "Satisfying, Sir." Then, in an effort to redeem himself, he glanced at Padme, wide eyed and confused. "At least, the _first_ time it was…but then I got – I got carried away and I… I shouldn't have. It was _wrong_. I _know_ it was. I could have _killed_ him, but he – he hurt Padme, and he…he had to _pay_ for that…" he broke off, distressed, but Padme couldn't move. She already knew why he did what he did, why he'd lashed out so violently and out of control. But, her _father_ didn't know about the horrors of Anakin's childhood, of why he was so protective of _her._ He didn't understand. All he would see would be a violent brute. It terrified her.

"I _love_ her, Sir, and..." Anakin continued. "The thought of someone _hurting_ her… it – "

" **Good!** " Ruwee sat back in his seat, looking both impressed and proud. "Good."

Padme stared at him incredulously. " _Dad!_ Violence is _never_ the answer!"

"Padme," he said slowly. "You're my baby girl. Did you _really_ think I'd let that bastard get away with hurting you like he did, with treating you _so_ badly? Were I in Anakin's position, I would have done the _exact_ same thing. Well done, m'boy." Ruwee nodded his head at Anakin in approval.

She couldn't _believe_ what she was hearing. How was it, that the thing that had almost torn her and Anakin apart, was the same thing that was bringing her father and Anakin together? She didn't understand it. Was she the _only_ person who had been horrified by Anakin's actions?

"Thank you," Ruwee addressed Anakin once more. "You defended my daughter's honour, and I appreciate and _respect_ that."

Anakin nodded his head solemnly. "Thank you _,_ Sir _._ That means a lot to me. I truly **love** her, Mr. Naberrie. She's _everything_ to me." His hand squeezed her thigh gently, and he met her gaze, adoration swimming in those intoxicating pools of blue.

It was then that their moment was interrupted by the arrival of their meals, and they began to eat in silence, Anakin managing well with his spoon. Padme was _more_ than just a little overwhelmed by what she'd just witnessed. She couldn't believe her _father,_ her strict, by the rules father, had actually **approved** of Anakin's treatment of Clovis. It was unbelievable.

But, she also couldn't help but feel flattered. It only proved, once again, how much her father truly loved her. To _him_ , Padme would _always_ be his baby girl, and, as he'd said, _no_ _one_ got away with hurting his baby girl.

"Do you like basketball, Anakin?" Ruwee suddenly asked when they were halfway through their meal.

Anakin perked up _immediately_ , eyes brightening and nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yes, Sir. I _love_ it."

Nodding his head and smiling, Ruwee swallowed his next mouthful and took a sip of his wine. "Excellent. See, I have two spare tickets to the next Celtics game this Friday night. I was wondering if you and Padme wanted to join me?"

Padme felt a little annoyed at how her father hadn't asked _her_ about this, and instead was addressing _Anakin_ , but before she could remark, Anakin responded for her. "Wow! That's...that's _awesome!_ Yes, of _course_. We'd _love_ to! This…this is _incredible! Thank_ you, Sir!" He was bouncing in his seat like a child at Christmas, and it was _so_ endearing, that Padme couldn't stay irritated for long, even though she didn't know _anything_ about basketball, and simply nodded her head along in agreement.

"Yes, we'd love to, Dad."

Ruwee smiled happily, looking immensely pleased. "Great. Well, I'll pick you both up before the game."

When they'd finished their meals, all three of them were too full for dessert, so Padme decided it was time to go home. She hugged her father goodbye, and Anakin shook his hand, thanking him again for the Celtics tickets, as well as dinner, and then the two of them walked out to Padme's car. As they drove home, Padme couldn't help but smile to herself. Dinner had gone _far_ better than she'd expected. She had a feeling that her father's new attitude towards Anakin was due to her mother, but she couldn't (and _wouldn't)_ complain. They were getting along. That was all she wanted.

When they arrived home, Anakin slung his left arm around her waist and pulled her gently into his chest, lifting her up slightly to kiss her languidly. She rested her hands on his hips and returned his kiss, walking them backwards until he was against the wall of the living room.

"You're right," Anakin smirked when they broke away from the kiss. "Your father _has_ grown to like me."

She frowned. "I can't _believe_ he approved of what you did to Clovis."

Anakin shrugged. "Hey, I didn't expect him to either. I just didn't want to lie to him. It didn't feel right, y'know?"

"You're too honest for your own good, Ani," she smiled, twining her fingers up in his hair.

He smiled and kissed her again, his hand sliding down her hip to cup her backside, giving it a firm squeeze. "So, I held up _my_ part of the bargain. Now, it's time to hold up _yours_ , Babe," he whispered as he winked at her, his eyes gleaming with desire.

Rolling her eyes at his request and the use of her new nickname, she grinned wickedly. "Hmmm… _well_ , I think you've earned your reward. You _were_ on your best behaviour, after all."

Then she dropped to her knees in front of him, an excited grin on _both_ their faces.


	31. Chapter 31

_**A/N: So, I've finally finished this chapter! It took me forever. I had a terrible case of food poisoning so I spent a few days recovering from that and wasn't in the mood to write. Plus, classes started back this week so I've been busy with that. But, here it is. The newest update! It's a long chapter, so hopefully that makes up for it? Thank you for all of your reviews and support for this story. It means so much to me!**_

 _ **So, obviously, I've never been to an NBA game before *cries* but I do watch a lot of it on ESPN (being a basketball player myself), and I'm a pretty avid fan. But I'd like to thank my beta for helping me out with this one. Sporting games are different over here in Australia than they are in the US and I wanted to make it as realistic as possible. Honestly, it's so hard writing a story when you live in a different country and have a different culture (don't get me started on the spelling!). So thank you!**_

 _ **Enjoy xx**_

* * *

"Are you almost ready?"

Anakin's voice, holding just a tinge of exasperation, interrupted her concentration, as Padme lined her eyes in the bathroom, and caused her to jolt on a gasp, smudging her eyeliner in the process. She turned around abruptly, a deep scowl on her face, to see him standing in the doorway, watching her with a raised brow and smirk.

"Anakin!" she shrilled, clicking her tongue. "You scared me!" Pouting at him, she turned back to face the mirror, assessing the damage to her eyeliner job. A messy, black line ran out from the edge of her left eyelid almost to the width of her eyebrow. "Warn me before you do that next time. Now my eyeliner is ruined."

He chuckled softly and shook his head, before stepping up behind her and planting a quick kiss on her cheek, his good arm snaking around her waist. "Sorry, Babe," he grinned, not really sorry at all. "You're just taking forever in here."

Her eyebrows knitted together in a petulant frown at his teasing words. "Not all of us are blessed with natural good looks, Anakin. Some of us actually _need_ to put effort into our appearance." He grinned wolfishly and winked at her implied compliment. She just shook her head at his ego.

"Oh, _please_ , Angel" he laughed on an exhale, and his lips easily found that one sensitive spot on her neck just below her earlobe that he _knew_ caused her to shudder, suckling and caressing it gently with his tongue and lips, and her eyes fluttered closed at the pleasurable sensations. "You're _beautiful_."

Though incredibly sweet, his own compliment made Padme roll her eyes, a small smirk pulling at the corners of her lips. He was _hopeless._ The way he saw her, through rose-coloured glasses – as though she could do no wrong in his eyes…it was a little ridiculous at times, but she adored it all the same.

"And, now you're just sucking up to me because you saw what I'm wearing underneath _this_ ," she gestured to her casual dark blue skinny jeans, burgundy knit sweater and knee-high tan boots. It looked plain on the outside, but both she – and Anakin, when he'd walked in on her getting dressed – knew what lay beneath it… her new red lingerie set. His eyes had almost popped out of his head, and his jaw had dropped when he'd walked into her bedroom without knocking, and he'd caught her in just her new bra and half-way between pulling her jeans up her legs, and she _knew_ that if he wasn't still injured in that moment, she probably wouldn't have succeeded in getting dressed at all. A smirk danced across her lips at the memory.

A knowing glint flashed in his blue eyes, and he winked down at her, all cheeky and smug. "You know me too well, Angel." He pecked her cheek again, lips brushing softly against the corner of her lips, and inhaled her scent deeply, before he released her waist and turned and walked back out. "I'll leave you to finish getting ready," he said over his shoulder, as he paused in the doorway. "But, your dad's waiting in his car out front for us, so don't be too long, will ya?"

Padme sighed as she fixed up her eyeliner. "He's early," she grumbled under her breath. It shouldn't have been such a surprise. Her father was _always_ early, as though he couldn't physically bear arriving at a destination unless it was half an hour before the scheduled time. Such habits had irritated her mother to no end – who saw no problem with being precisely on time or even being fashionably late. Whilst Padme never liked being late, she also disliked being _too_ early... always striving for a happy medium, something her father clearly didn't understand.

Correcting her eyeliner and adding a hint of mascara, a dusting of blush to her cheekbones, and a light pink lip gloss to her powdered face, she donned a pair of small gold hoop earrings and let her chestnut curls fall loose over her shoulders in a shimmering curtain, covering the fuzzy, short ringlets that outlined her forehead and temples with her favourite cream beanie. Anakin was waiting for her in the kitchen, dressed in a pair of navy blue jeans, a white and maroon _University_ _of_ _Chicago_ t-shirt, his black Converses, and his black leather jacket slung awkwardly around his shoulders, sitting on the barstool beside the counter. One leg was bent at the knee with his foot on the rest, the other reaching straight to the ground, tapping idly against the floor. He smiled as she approached him, amusement dancing in his gaze, the corners of his eyes crinkled and pinched.

"What?" she tipped her head to the side as she wrapped her grey scarf around her neck and went to retrieve her short, dark grey, wool peacoat from the wall-mounted hanger by the front door.

Grinning, he stood up and tucked his wallet into the back pocket of his jeans, and his cell phone in the inner pocket of his jacket. "Oh, nothing. You're just _finally_ ready, that's all."

"Oh, shush, Ani!" she exclaimed with a roll of her eyes and picked up her black leather wallet purse off the kitchen counter, slinging it over her head and across her chest to rest on her hip. "I didn't take _that_ long."

"I beg to differ, Padme," he countered with a snort. "You took _twenty_ minutes to do your makeup, and _thirty_ minutes to pick out what you were going to wear." He rolled his eyes, as if that was an _unbearably_ long time for her to make him wait.

Padme just shook her head, amused more than annoyed at his impatience. "I can't _believe_ you were counting!" She eyed him curiously, and caught the way he was practically bouncing in his shoes, like an impatient child on Christmas morning.

He was excited, and she really couldn't blame him. He'd never been to a basketball game before, not a professional one anyway, and he was fully entitled to be excited, as much as he apparently loved the sport itself, and she found she wanted him to enjoy every moment of this experience. Not caring (or knowing) anything about basketball herself, she acknowledged that _this_ night was for Anakin, and she was going tonight to share this with _him,_ to support him in one of _his_ favourite interests _._ After all, he had cheerfully gone with her on Wednesday to visit the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, which he had admitted on the drive over _wasn_ ' _t_ one of his favourite activities _,_ but he'd done it for _her,_ to share in something _she_ enjoyed _._ Now it was time to return the favour _._

And, his excitement _was_ cute, she had to admit, and she decided to inform him of that fact, making him frown at her in confusion. "God, that's so cute."

"Cute? What's cute?"

Stepping closer to him, she stretched up on her toes and kissed him quickly on his soft lips, a wide smile breaking out on her face. "You are, Ani."

Then, reaching out to take hold of his hand, the two of them headed out into the hallway, Padme bolting the door behind her and putting her house key in her purse, and they took the rickety old elevator down to the foyer. Though her and Dorme's apartment was relatively modern, due to the renovation her father had authorised before they had moved in, the rest of her building was fairly old-fashioned and a little run down, and as such, Padme hardly ever used the elevator if she could help it, preferring to stick with the stairs. But, with Anakin being injured, it was the easier option – for _him_ anyway. That didn't mean it was the most comfortable experience, though.

It was a slow _creaking_ journey, and at one point, Anakin fixed her with a sly grin and joked, "Hey, Babe, wouldn't it be funny if we got _stuck_ in here all night, and we had to be rescued by the fire department?"

She fixed him with a stern glare, unimpressed by his taunt. " _Don_ ' _t_ say things like that, Anakin. You'll jinx it." When he merely smirked and shrugged, she added, "And, then you'll miss the game." She shot him a pointed look with a roll of her head.

His expression faltered _just_ a little, but then a teasing grin replaced his frown, and he waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively. "Oh, well. I think being stuck in an elevator with you could be _just_ as fun, don't you think?"

"You're ridiculous," she huffed, shook her head, and crossed her arms over her chest, though she couldn't help the small smile that graced her face at his remark. The humour, the banter, the _playfulness_ that had always defined their relationship from the start had returned over this week they'd had together, and Padme knew they'd _both_ grown closer. Things were good, she felt, and she sincerely hoped they would stay that way for a long, long time. It was so _easy_ being with Anakin like this – without the drama, and the tension, and the jealousy. Just them, and their love, and their _friendship._

It had suddenly occurred to Padme during this week that their _friendship_ was the most important part of their relationship, more so than _any_ of the physical attraction they felt for each other. Their relationship was built on a solid foundation of friendship. They'd been friends first and foremost, before they'd become lovers, and their deep bond of true love had been erected on that firm foundation. It was _why_ they cared so deeply about each other. It was what _made_ them strong together, what would _keep_ them going for years and years, after the physical beauty and lust of their youth faded away. As time marched on, their integral bond would only strengthen more _because_ of that lifetime of friendship they had shared.

Padme was _sure_ of it.

Her father's black Mercedes was parked out front of her apartment building, and he was leaning up against the passenger side door, dressed in black suit pants, a white dress shirt sans tie, and a tweed jacket. As they approached, he stood back up and hugged Padme warmly, kissing her cheek as they embraced. "Hello, Sweetheart. How are you?"

She returned his embrace with equal warmth and pecked his own cheek softly, before stepping out of his arms and smiling up at him. "Great thanks, Dad. How are you?"

Ruwee readjusted his glasses and beamed down at his daughter. He looked _happy_ , happier than she'd seen her father in a while, and Padme realised it must have been because of his renewed relationship with her mother. It made her grin, full of hope and optimism for her family. "Wonderful, thank you, Padme." His attention then turned towards Anakin, and he inclined his head. "Good to see you again, Anakin, m'boy."

Anakin shook Ruwee's outstretched hand politely and nodded his head. "You too, Sir."

"How are you feeling? Ready for the game?"

Anakin couldn't keep the wide smile off his face as he remarked, "I was _born_ ready, Sir," a teasing lilt to his voice, which made Ruwee laugh. Padme eyed the exchange fondly, glad that her two favourite men were being civil, even _nice_ to each other. It was a welcome change. She'd have to remember to thank her mother for opening her father's mind up about Anakin.

"Good, good," Ruwee exclaimed, jovially, before walking around to the driver's seat. "Well, we'd better head off, then. It's going to be crowded, and traffic will be heavy. Don't want to be late for the tipoff."

Opening the rear door for her, Anakin kept his hand on the small of Padme's back as she slid into her seat, then shut the door and joined Ruwee in the front passenger seat. She listened to their enthusiastic conversation about the game with only mild interest, having no idea _who_ they were talking about or _what_ they were even discussing half of the time. Instead, she just smiled to herself and stared out of the window, occasionally giving a vague, 'oh yes, of course,' response when either Anakin or her father asked her a question. Most of the time, though, it was like she wasn't even there.

 _Not_ that Padme was complaining, amusing as it was. Anakin and her father were actually getting along, and she wasn't about to spoil any of _that_. She decided to let them bond over this. They _needed_ this to move forward. It was such a great development, and she certainly hoped that it would continue long after this weekend. As she sat in the back seat, she couldn't help but notice how happy Anakin looked. His eyes were so bright and alive, sparkling really, and he was conversing with Ruwee with such animation that he was practically _glowing._ She hadn't seen him like that in a very long time – possibly since Christmas, when he was talking with his uncle about his international travels. It brought a proud smile to her face.

Ruwee had been right. Traffic _was_ heavy, and it took a good twenty minutes to make their way through the congested lanes of cars immediately around the finally parked at North Station Garage, underneath TD Garden, and caught an elevator up to the main concourse. It was absolutely _packed._ Padme had _never_ seen so many people gathered together in one place in her entire life – as she'd never been to a professional sports game before. Thankfully, Anakin gripped her hand tightly in his, twining their fingers together, as they navigated their way behind her father through the throng of spectators, and she held on to him for dear life, desperately trying not to get trodden on or knocked over. Glancing up at him, she saw his face alight with pure _awe_ as he gazed around at the venue, completely besotted, eyes darting in every direction as he tried to take in everything at once, and when he looked down at her, he grinned like a child.

"This is _amazing_ , Padme!" he exclaimed, excitedly, over the loud hum of the crowd pressed in around them. All Padme could do was nod her head in agreement and return his enthusiastic smile, happy just to see _him_ this excited.

"Here's your tickets, you two," Ruwee stopped and handed their tickets to Padme to hold. "We go up the escalator over there to get to our section. Come on."

Padme gaped at the sheer amount of people in the line for the escalator and clutched Anakin's hand tighter. She _definitely_ didn't want to get lost in this huge crowd. Getting in line, they slowly made their way forward up toward the escalator, while Anakin and Ruwee continued their talk about the various player stats for the season. Once at the escalator, Anakin set Padme between Ruwee and himself on the way up, and she rolled her eyes at his over protectiveness, but was grateful for it all the same.

When they reached the top, they stopped to speak with an usher, who checked their tickets and pointed them toward the area of their seating a little further ahead. Already they could hear the pounding _thrum_ of veryloud rock music rumbling through the arena, accompanied by the voice of the announcer over the loudspeakers and the cheers, squeals, whistles, and yells of the mass of spectators already inside the stadium.

Following along behind her father, Padme glanced down at their tickets - they were in Section 6, LOGE 13, Row A, Seat 2 and Seat 3. Anakin's eyes were wide as he scanned the view around them, and Padme assimilated his astonishment. A veritable sea of shamrock green engulfed them immediately, as they entered the stadium itself, fanning out in every conceivable direction, as fans were wearing hats, jackets, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and jerseys all emblazoned with the _Boston Celtics_ logo, mascot, a shamrock, or player names and numbers. Many people were waving green and white hand towels wildly in the air, and Padme felt a little conspicuous in her non-green attire.

Down on the court, scantily clad cheerleaders were gyrating acrobatically across the floor to the beat of the music, while some of the opposing team players from the _Los Angeles Clippers_ were out taking practice warmup shots. The huge Jumbotron scoreboard was mounted above the Center Court team logo, covered with flashing lights and running continuous flashy advertisements, random cam footage from inside the stadium, team and player stats and other videos.

Anakin bent down and whispered in her ear, "Look over there! See that?!" Following where he was pointing, Padme could see a large number of NBA Championship team flags hanging from the rafters. Anakin gave her a huge grin, his excitement growing tenfold now that they were actually _here,_ and she grinned back at his childlike enthusiasm _._

The game was being nationally televised on _ESPN_ , and the camera crews were milling about the court. Suddenly, Anakin pulled her to a jolting stop and pointed toward the sidelines excitedly. "Babe, look! It's _Holly_ _Rowe_ from _ESPN!,"_ he exclaimed. The female reporter was already live on camera interviewing some of the coaching staff and talking to some of the players for the pregame show.

Arriving at their section at last, Ruwee motioned them into their row, himself taking the aisle seat. "Sir!" Anakin cried out in shock as they took their seats. "You got _courtside_ seats?!" They were _fantastic_ seats, court level, right behind the visitor's bench of the _Los_ _Angeles_ _Clippers_ , and they were _so_ _close_ to the floor you could actually _hear_ the players talking out on the court while doing their warmup. Padme couldn't _believe_ her father managed to buy such great seats. It must have cost him a small fortune, and even though he _could_ afford it, it was _still_ incredibly generous of him. She felt a swell of affection for him in that moment, for doing something so wonderful for her and Anakin.

Laughing at his reaction, Ruwee smiled and nodded his head. "Yes, Anakin. I thought you would enjoy this."

Nodding his head vigorously, Anakin stammered, "Y-yes! I…I do. It's… **Wow** – _thank you_ , Sir!"

"Really, Dad," Padme added with a warm smile. "Thank you so much. This is so generous of you."

Shrugging, Ruwee merely beamed down at her through his glasses. "Oh, it was nothing, Sweetheart. A father's allowed to spoil his daughter and her boyfriend every now and then, isn't he?"

In response, Padme released Anakin's hand to kiss her father's cheek, expressing her gratitude in that tender action. Then, she took her seat between him and Anakin, her eyes drawn to the pre-game entertainment. Her hand snuck over to caress Anakin's thigh gently, and he grinned down at her.

"Holy _shit_ , this is incredible!" he told her, voice trembling with excitement. "I can't believe we're _this close!_ "

Giggling at him, she patted his knee softly, and smirked. "Now, you're glad that elevator didn't break, aren't you?"

"Yep! There's no _way_ I would miss _this_!" He covered her hand with his left one, lacing their fingers together and he gave hers a quick squeeze before focussing his attention on the court.

Soon, the lights dimmed, and camera flashes could be seen going off all around in the vast crowd, and the music went quiet all of a sudden. Padme's eyes widened in anticipation. Beside her, Anakin was bouncing his knee, watching with fierce eagerness as, suddenly, the music returned, even louder than before, echoing, thumping of drums, and the scoreboard above them flashed brightly with fluorescent lights. A montage of the _Celtics_ season so far was displayed across the screen, along with a loud voiceover of their progress, welcoming everyone. Then, the lights came back on, almost blinding her, and then the opposing team players were announced first, followed by a rousing introduction of the _Celtics'_ starting line-up, and the _Boston_ players ran out onto the court as the cheerleaders shimmied and waved their green and white pom-poms in the air. A loud roar erupted from the crowd, and they all stood up and cheered on their home team, Ruwee, Padme, and Anakin rising along with them.

Anakin's breath hitched beside her, and his grip on her hand was even tighter. The two teams began their pre-game warm up, over loud music, and even though Padme wasn't the _biggest_ basketball fan, she was still overwhelmed by the atmosphere. It was like _nothing_ she'd ever seen; the only sports she'd ever watched live was when she used to watch Rush play Lacrosse at Harvard, but it was _nothing_ compared to this. The thrum of the music and the cheers from the crowds reverberated all the way down to her bones, so that she was almost shaking with it. It didn't matter if she didn't know anything about basketball, she couldn't deny that she was _excited._

" _Oh my god, oh my god_ ," Anakin kept muttering under his breath, and Padme shook her head at him, endearingly, before leaning across and pecking his cheek.

"I'm glad you're having a good time, Baby," she whispered, and he beamed down at her.

"It's awesome! Are you?" His blue eyes scanned her face carefully, as though trying to judge her reaction.

"Yeah, Ani, it's _amazing_ ," she reassured him, which earned her another heart-stopping grin.

Once the game started, however, Padme was a little less excited. She had _no_ _idea_ what was going on the entire time, except when each team scored. Other than that, she was _lost_ , well and truly _stumped._ Any time the whistle blowed, she had to ask Anakin what was happening, which quickly got on his nerves quite obviously – he was never one for hiding his emotions. He and Ruwee were discussing the game over her head – literally, as she was between them – swearing at the referee decisions, and discussing the state of the match almost continuously. All Padme could do was sit between them, confused and trying to understand what was going on.

There was suddenly a huge uproar midway the first quarter after something happened in the game, and Padme had to tap Anakin on the shoulder. "What was that? What happened?"

Groaning at her lack of knowledge, he shook his head in exasperation. "It was an offensive foul, Padme," he grumbled in annoyance, running his left hand through his hair, straining to see what was happening with the play. "Stop asking questions, will ya? I'm trying to watch the game here!"

"Sorry," she apologized, frowning, and sank back into her seat to watch the rest of the game in silence. After another five minutes of the game went by, she decided she'd had enough of sitting down and being ignored – because she _refused_ to ask either Anakin or her father anything else about the game, out of spite – and she decided she wanted to grab a coffee. She got out of her seat and told Anakin and her father where she was going, not that they really seemed to pay any attention to her, and left to seek out a coffee cart.

Padme climbed back up the stairs leading down to their section and went to the restroom first, then stopped an usher to ask where she could buy souvenirs. The usher directed her to the East Side, Level 2, where the _Boston_ _ProShop_ was, to buy team merchandise. Meandering around through the crowded corridors, she got lost twice before she finally found the shop, went in and browsed, then decided to buy Anakin both a _Celtics_ jersey and a _Celtics_ sweatshirt, as well as a large, green, foam finger for herself, and she asked the obviously bored girl behind the store register for directions to the nearest coffee cart.

The employee gave a flat, monotone answer that there _weren_ ' _t_ any coffee carts, and that, if she wanted something to eat or drink, she'd need to go back up to Level 5, to the _Premium_ _Club Bistro._ Despite the girl's attitude, Padme thanked her cheerfully and lugged her purchases back up the escalator, heading towards the bistro and her much needed caffeinated haven.

After fighting against the increasing swell of the large crowd, Padme reached Level 5, and made her way over to the recommended Bistro. Walking in, she surveyed her surroundings – it looked nice and clean, and thankfully, it wasn't _too_ crowded. Suddenly hungry, she perused the menu options, deciding on a couple of slices of pepperoni pizza. Grabbing a Coke with her pizza, she made her way over to a quiet table, and plopped down with her bags, tired from all the walking up and down what felt like a _thousand_ flights of stairs. She was oblivious to just _how long_ she'd been walking around as she quietly ate her meal, because it wasn't half time yet, and she knew Anakin and her father were too wrapped up in the game to even _miss_ her. Yet, despite how she was initially disgruntled, she felt she couldn't be mad at them, not _really._ They were having a good time, and more importantly, they were _bonding_ over a shared interest, and that was _all_ that mattered to her.

"Excuse me, Miss? Are you finished here?"

An unfamiliar male voice interrupted her thoughts, and she glanced up to see a young – but _very_ handsome – waiter smiling down at her. He was about Anakin's height, had pretty light hazel-green eyes, a dazzling smile with white, even teeth, and smooth, nut brown skin. His fuzzy black hair was closely shaven, and the tight jeans and the employee shirt he was wearing showcased a beautifully sculpted male physique. Unable to help herself, because she wasn't _blind_ and he really _was_ very attractive, Padme returned his smile and nodded her head politely. "Yes, thank you."

He nodded his head, shooting her another grin, and picked up her tray with her plate and empty cup, walking over to the trash receptacle to dispose of it before walking back to her table.

"So, what's a pretty thing like you doing eating all alone at a _Celtics_ game, huh?"

Laughing, she played with the end of her hair, a small blush colouring her cheeks. The guy was actually _flirting_ with her, and even though she was extremely happy in her relationship with Anakin and wouldn't _ever_ dream of leaving him, she was quite _flattered_ at the attention, and decided to , there was no harm in some casual flirting with a super cute guy. It _had_ been a while since anyone else but Anakin had found her attractive, after all. "Oh, I just thought I'd beat the crowd, y'know," she responded, coyly, a smile gracing her lips.

"Not a basketball fan then, I take it?" He cast her an amused glance with a mischievous smirk, his eyes twinkling with suppressed laughter.

She made a face and rolled her eyes, making him laugh. "Is it that obvious?"

Smirking, the waiter shrugged and stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his faded, black jeans. "Well, for starters, you're not watching the game, so…"

Giggling, Padme smirked at him and flicked her hair back over her shoulder. "Alright, you caught me."

The waiter laughed again, a strong, hearty laughter, and Padme watched him with a smile. He truly was a very nice guy and would no doubt make some girl very, very happy. Only, just not _her_. Still, there was nothing wrong with playing along just a _little_ bit longer.

"What's your name?" he asked with another smile, seeming to forget that there were other people in the Bistro who needed serving.

"Padme," she supplied, seeing no point in lying, but also didn't want to give herself away entirely.

"Tyler," he introduced himself then rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, shifting his weight on the spot, and the gesture reminded her so strongly of Anakin, she couldn't help but smile. "Hey…uh, I know this is kinda… _weird,_ but, would you maybe wanna get coffee with me sometime?"

It took _all_ of Padme's willpower not to burst out laughing at his offer, because it probably would have humiliated the poor guy, and he did seem rather sweet. Instead, she tried to keep her face as straight as possible as she smiled warmly up at him. "Oh, wow! That's…that's so nice of you, Tyler, but I've got a boyfriend already. Sorry."

His expression faltered just a little, but he brushed it off with an easy smile. "Oh, alright then. No worries. He's a really lucky guy."

Padme blushed again and smiled at his compliment. "Thank you."

Tyler nodded his head and asked, "Hey, would you like a coffee? On the house. I'm about to go on break anyway, and I could join you, if you'd like? Seeing as we're both by ourselves and all."

His offer was extremely generous and sweet, and Padme couldn't think of a single reason to refuse him, so she nodded her head and asked for a vanilla latte. Flashing her another one of those charming smiles, Tyler went back to the kitchen to place her coffee order, and Padme watched him leave with a small, mischievous smile, her dark eyes twinkling with a wicked gleam. Really, he _was_ exceptionally charming and sweet and _very_ good-looking, and whilst Padme wasn't interested, she knew someone who might be.

 _Dorme._

Of course, her best friend was hung up on Trey at the moment, but Padme didn't trust or like the guy. Anyone who treated her stunning, hilarious, brilliant best friend as just a sex object didn't deserve her, and she had a feeling that one day, he would let Dorme down, _big time_ and break her heart. Tear her into tiny little pieces. And, maybe _...just_ _maybe_ , when that day came, Tyler would come in with his dazzling smile and easy going personality and pick her back up again. That was the plan Padme had concocted in her head, anyway. Whether it came to fruition would have to be seen; yet, she was determined, one way or another, for her plan to succeed, because he really seemed like he'd get along really well with Dorme, and Padme wanted her best friend to be as happy in a relationship as she was with Anakin. She deserved it.

Tyler returned five minutes or so later with her vanilla latte and his own coffee, and sat down opposite her, leaning back in his chair with one leg bent up over his knee. "So, humour me," he began with a smirk. "If you don't like basketball, why the _hell_ are you here?!"

Padme couldn't help it. She laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners with mirth, and sipped her latte. "Well-l-l, long story short, my father bought tickets for himself, me, and my boyfriend," she explained casually. "They're both avid basketball fans, and, frankly, I'm just along for the ride, I suppose. But, I didn't really understand what was going on in the game, so I decided to wander around the arena for a bit, and ended up here."

"So, you were bored." He looked amused.

"Something like that, yeah."

"Well, Padme, I'm glad you did," he flashed her a genuine smile, which reached his eyes. "It's not every day I get to talk to such a pretty girl when I'm on shift here."

"Yeah, _right_. I'm so sure that's not true," Padme remarked with a smirk and a roll of her eyes. "A charming guy like you, Tyler? I bet you get _tons_ of pretty girls in here flirting with you all the time."

He ignored her comment, choosing instead to stare into his coffee, then take a sip, somewhat bashfully, which Padme found pretty sweet. _Oh, yeah...He'd be_ _ **perfect**_ _for Dorme,_ Padme thought to herself.

"So, what do you do with yourself, Padme?"

"I'm at Harvard. Political science major."

Her admission made him raise his eyebrows. "Wow. Pretty _and_ smart. Man, it's a real shame you've got a boyfriend." He said with a shake of his head.

"For such a smooth talker, I'm surprised you don't have a girlfriend," Padme countered with a smirk. "What's the catch?"

Grinning at her tease, Tyler shrugged his shoulders, his eyes sparkling. "Is _too awesome_ a good enough answer?"

Padme shook her head, unable to contain her laughter. Honestly, this guy's ego was _almost_ as big as Anakin's. They continued to chat for a little while longer, and Padme grew to like him more and more. He was twenty-three, a Boston native, studying Physical Therapy at Boston University, and was a college hockey player, which piqued her interest – for she enjoyed hockey _way_ more than basketball. Just as they were getting into an animated discussion about the current NHL season, Padme's phone began to ring.

It was Anakin.

"Just a sec, Tyler...it's my boyfriend," she said and then answered the phone. "Hey, Baby," she spoke into the phone cheerfully.

 _"Where are you at, Angel? You've been gone for quite a while,"_ Anakin asked, his voice slightly muffled from the background noise as a cheer suddenly erupted through the phone. " _It's almost half-time."_

"I got lost, but I'm in the Bistro on Level 5 now."

" _Alright. I'll come find you. Stay there. See you soon, Babe."_

He hung up before she could say anything else, and Padme tucked her phone back into her purse and looked up to see Tyler watching her with amusement. "Your boyfriend finally missing you, huh?"

"Something like that," Padme mused with a wry smirk. "He's probably hungry. Can I buy food to go?"

"Sure. What would he like?" Tyler asked with a half shrug.

She paused and chewed on the inside of her cheek in thought. "A couple of slices of pepperoni pizza and a large Coke."

"Coming right up. Stay put, and I'll bring it out to you. Would you like another latte, too?"

"Sure. That'd be great. Thanks, Tyler."

With a smiling nod, Tyler rose from the table and went to place her To Go order, while Padme leaned back in her chair and sipped at her coffee, even more certain now that her plan had merit. Now, she just had to get him and Dorme to meet… arrange a date somehow. Of course, her friend would most likely _hate_ being set up like that, but Padme was sure she could convince her. And, if it didn't work out, at least she'd have made a new friend out of it. She liked Tyler, and was certain Anakin would as well. They were so similar, they were bound to get along.

"So, you're a hockey fan then?" He asked as he plopped back down opposite her, handing over her To Go order and giving her another latte.

Padme took it from him with a grateful smile and gave him the money. "Yes. I am. It's what happens when you grow up in Minnesota, I suppose."

Tyler laughed good-naturedly and tilted his head as he looked at her. "Ah, so you're from Minnesota. Funny, I never would've guessed that. You don't have the accent, y'know. I was thinking you're an East Coast kinda girl."

"Nope," Padme shook her head and smiled. "Minneapolis, born and raised."

Rubbing his chin, Tyler leaned back further in his chair, striking an easy pose. The way he held himself, his mannerisms, it was so much like Anakin. Honestly, the resemblance was uncanny. Padme wondered if _this_ was why she was enjoying his company so much. That, and the fact that he was genuinely a nice guy.

"Nice. I can't believe you're a hockey fan, though," he remarked, seemingly astounded.

Padme quirked an eyebrow in amusement. "Why?"

He paused, as though trying to articulate what he was thinking without offending her, and Padme waited with keen interest, eager to know his opinion of her. "You're just… You don't seem like the _type,_ y'know? I mean… Hockey is _rough."_

"Oh, I know," she said eagerly, her eyes sparkling with interest. "I _love_ it. I never miss a _Bruins_ game on TV, if I can help it."

"You should come to a college game sometime. I mean, I play, so I might be able to hook you up with cheap tickets, if you want. You could bring your boyfriend…Or, one of your single girl friends…I'd prefer the latter to be honest," he grinned and flashed her a wink, which made her laugh and shake her head. Truly, he was like a brunette version of Anakin.

"Alright, Tyler. I'll take you up on that offer," Padme declared suddenly, feeling more confident than ever that her plan was going to work. "Can I have your number? And, if you want, I'll give you mine." She said as she fished her phone out of her purse.

He seemed a little surprised by her request, but nodded his head and smiled, handing her his phone before taking hers and punching in his phone number and saving it under his name, while Padme did the same on his cell.

"Padme!"

She turned around at the sound of Anakin's voice and beamed at him brightly. He returned her smile enthusiastically, until he noticed who she was sitting with, and that he had her phone and she was handing his back to him, and his expression turned sour almost immediately and he quickly strode over to her side. Not wanting another Clovis episode, Padme stood up from her seat and stretched up on her toes to kiss him quickly, letting her hand skim down his arm to take his and squeeze it firmly.

"Ani, you found me," she muttered into his mouth, before pulling back and flashing him a bright smile.

"I don't know _how_ you got lost," he grumbled, releasing her hand to rest his on her waist, pulling her snugly into his side, instantly taking a possessive stance, his eyes fixed on Tyler. "There were signs everywhere."

She laughed and wrapped her arm around his waist as some sort of reassurance, leaning into his side affectionately. "Tyler, this is Anakin. My boyfriend. Ani, this is Tyler."

"Figured that from the heavy PDA display," Tyler remarked, standing up, his eyes flashing with mirth as he looked Anakin up and down, and held out his hand to him, who eyed it warily. "And, I was wrong. I think _you're_ the lucky one here, Padme," he smirked with a wink.

Anakin seemed to brighten up at that, puffing out his chest smugly and, to Padme's surprise, he shook Tyler's hand. Padme felt an immediate sense of pride – he was actually acting _maturely_ … He'd _grown,_ and it only made her heart fill with affection for him. Of course, he was still a little… _suspicious_ of the fact that Padme had just given her number to a very handsome stranger, but he was handling it well – _very well_ – if she was being honest, and that was all she could ask of him.

"Nice to meet you, Tyler," he said, somewhat stiffly.

Tyler chuckled good-naturedly, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'd say the same to you, man, but you've just kicked my confidence to the curb. I never stood a chance, did I?" He addressed Padme with a smirk, who giggled and shook her head. Honestly, Tyler was _hilarious_ – he'd get along with Dorme well. _Really_ well. They both had that snappy sarcastic wit and banter. Padme was certain they'd like each other immediately.

"Sorry, Tyler," she replied, teasingly with a shrug.

"Oh, well," he shrugged his shoulders. "Still holding out for one of your single girlfriends, though."

"I think that can be arranged."

"Um…What?" Anakin muttered, flicking his gaze back and forth between Padme and Tyler, completely lost. Padme shook her head at him, endearingly and rubbed her hand up along his side affectionately.

"Tyler's a hockey player for Boston University, and he wants me to bring one of my _single_ girlfriends to watch him play. So, I agreed," she explained, jovially.

Anakin nodded his head slowly, processing the information, then tipped his head to the side in adorable confusion. "Wait…You _like_ hockey?! I didn't know that, Angel."

She gaped at him, unable to believe he didn't know that about her. Surely she'd told him that before. "Of course, Ani. I _love_ hockey, especially the _Bruins._ I thought you knew that?"

He shook his head. "I would've remembered, Babe. I _love_ hockey, too." Anakin gave her waist a gentle squeeze.

 _That_ brought a massive smile to her face at finding out something new about Anakin...and that it was a _shared_ interest at that. Anytime she discovered a new little secret about him, it only made her love him even more – whether it was good or bad.

"Well, _I_ didn't know that, either. Hmm...looks like we have something else in common besides just brains and good looks, Ani," she countered teasingly with a grin, her eyes dancing with both mirth and excitement.

He smiled down at her, a warm, gorgeous smile that made her insides quiver. "I guess I just assumed you knew. I took Ahsoka to a _Wild_ game when she was going through her hockey phase."

"Well… Maybe _you_ should take _me_ one day," she suggested with a smile. "Tyler, when's your next game?" she asked, looking back at her new friend.

Snapping back to attention, for he looked as though he had completely tuned out for a couple of minutes whilst Padme and Anakin were talking, Tyler grinned at her. "Next weekend. This weekend is our bye."

"Oh." Well, that ruined _that_ idea, but, there was still the opportunity for her to take Dorme along and put her plan into action.

Beside her, Anakin chuckled, his entire body rumbling and vibrating against her arm. "It's alright, Babe. We'll go another time, alright?"

Tyler stared at them in confusion. "Do you have something going on next weekend?"

"Ani's at the University of Chicago," Padme explained with pride, tilting her head to beam up at Anakin, who responded to her praise with a sweet kiss to her hair. "He goes home on Sunday."

"Ah, long distance relationship. That's gotta suck. I feel for you, man," he addressed Anakin with a sympathetic grimace, "I don't think I could stand being separated from _my_ girlfriend like that, especially if she was as pretty and sweet as yours is."

Anakin nodded his head in agreement, smiling down at Padme. "Yeah, I hear ya, man. It _is_ rough, but..."

"We make it work," Padme finished his sentence and smiled happily up at him, her look adoring, as she slipped her hand into the back pocket of Anakin's jeans. "Anyway, we should probably get back to the game. But, we'll keep in contact, though, yeah?"

Tyler nodded his head with a smile. "Yeah, of course. It was nice meeting you both. Enjoy the rest of the game."

Padme smiled brightly at him and thanked him for his lovely company, before she and Anakin headed back towards their section, food, drink, and Padme's shopping bags in hand. He kept his arm around her waist as they walked. "So, _that's_ why you were gone for so long," he teased her, though she still heard the twinge of jealousy in his voice. He was hiding it pretty well – as well as _Anakin_ could, though, which made her beam with pride at his efforts.

"Well, _you_ were ignoring me, so I left and found someone fun to talk to," she looked up at him with an impish grin on her face.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "I see. And, so you decided to get his number because…?"

Padme laughed. "So, that I can set him up with Dorme, of course."

"Oh my _god_ , Padme…" Anakin sighed, bemused, shaking his head.

"Well, he _did_ ask me out first, so I thought it was only fair to set him up with her."

It was then that Anakin stopped in his tracks and stared down at her with wide eyes. " _What?!"_

"Oh, _relax,_ Ani!" Padme laughed and pulled on his hand, closing the distance between them, so that she could wrap her right arm around his neck, her bags on her left arm. "I told him I already had a boyfriend. You don't have to be jealous."

He pouted at her. "I'm not _jealous,_ Angel," he insisted, unconvincingly. "Just, I'm entitled to be _less_ than thrilled when a guy hits on you."

Padme caressed the back of his neck tenderly and stretched up on her toes so their noses were pressed together. "You know, you _are_ kinda cute when you're jealous, Ani." She whispered, her eyes shining up at him.

"I'm _not_ jealous. And, I'm not _cute!_ "

"Yes, you are. And, I _love_ you." Then, to soothe his somewhat bruised ego, she pressed her lips to his softly, kissing him again and again until he softened into her embrace and returned her kiss.

Pulling back, his smile mirroring her own, she suddenly decided to tease him a little further. " _Ani_ , _je_ _t'aime_... _je t'aime tellement, mon amore."_ Her mouth curved into a soft smile, and she licked her lips, feeling him tense in her arms, his eyes darkening with the stirrings of desire.

"I love it when you talk French to me," he growled as he rubbed his hand gently on her lower back and leaned down to press his forehead to hers.

Smiling sensuously, she stared into his eyes. "I know you do," she purred, nibbling on his lips once more before releasing him from her embrace. "Come on," she reached down to take his good hand back in hers. "We should probably go back to our seats. Dad will wonder where we've got to."

Anakin nodded in agreement, a wicked grin on his face, and muttered, "Wait, not yet," before hauling her back to him and kissing her fiercely. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she released a little groan of surprise, but quickly succumbed to his kiss. It was clearly what he _needed_ , in order to quell his jealousy, and Padme didn't mind at all. "Alright, now we can go," he said when he pulled away and gripped her hand tightly, as they made their way back towards their seats.

There was only a minute left of the first half by the time they sat back down, which surprised Padme. She hadn't realised she'd been gone so long. She'd missed most of the first half! Once the half time siren went off, echoing shrilly through the entire stadium, almost half of the audience in the arena stood up and left in a large shuffling mass of shamrock green paraphernalia, and Padme just watched it, incredulously. She was grateful that she'd gotten food before the mad rush, or she most definitely _would've_ gotten lost. She was also glad she'd gotten Anakin food in the Bistro beforehand, which he'd eaten as soon as they got back to their seats.

The half time entertainment came out on stage, first with a performance from the cheerleaders, who danced and gyrated acrobatically across the expanse of the court in astonishing complexity. Padme had never been a fan of cheerleaders. The whole concept of scantily dressed girls cheering on the men, purely for the sake of sexualisation, irritated her to no end. But, as she observed the performance, she couldn't deny that they _were_ incredibly skilful. The way they tossed each other around, and back flipped and somersaulted… there was no way she would _ever_ be capable of doing something like that.

Glancing next to her at Anakin, she noticed with a shake of her head that he was _just_ as intrigued by their performance as she was, though for _entirely_ different reasons to be sure. Even her own _father_ was watching intently, and she sighed and rolled her eyes. _Men,_ she thought to herself with a half laugh. They were so predictable.

"Hey, look!" Anakin exclaimed suddenly, nudging Padme in the ribs after a few minutes and pointed at the scoreboard. "It's the _Kiss Cam!"_

Sure enough, when she followed his gaze, she saw the camera focus in on a couple, only a bit older than them, kissing intensely on screen, as the crowd cheered them on. Padme watched, slightly mortified. She could think of nothing more embarrassing than doing _that_ in front of an entire stadium of people, especially when being cheered on. Of course, small kisses here and there in the streets was alright, but not sucking each other's faces off. There were some things that should be kept private, she felt, and when she raised this opinion to Anakin, he stared at her incredulously.

"What's the problem, Babe?" he asked in confusion, laughing at her disgusted reaction. "It's just a gimmick. People love it."

She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "Well, _I_ don't. I can't think of anything _worse_ than kissing someone like _that_ in front of all these people."

Anakin waggled his eyebrows at her. "Even if it was me?"

"Yes. Even _you,_ Ani. I just think that – "

" – oh my god, we're on _Kiss Cam!_ " he cried suddenly, interrupting her, and before Padme even had a chance to process what was happening, he leaned over and crushed his mouth against hers, his hand sliding up the back of her neck, twisting in her curls, to keep her there. She grunted into his mouth in protest, but the feel of his soft, smooth lips moving against her own so deliciously soon made her forget herself, and when he slid his hungry tongue inside her mouth, she accepted him willingly. All around them, the crowd erupted into a loud chorus of cheering and clapping, and as they broke apart, Padme felt her cheeks redden and flush with embarrassment, and she ducked her head to hide her flaming cheeks in the soft fall of her hair.

Anakin was grinning down at her triumphantly, as though he'd just gotten away with something he shouldn't have, and whilst it _was_ an adorable expression, Padme glowered at him, her lips thinning into a line, her eyes narrowed.

"Anakin!" she scolded him, bashfully fiddling with the hem of her jumper. "I can't _believe_ you just did that!"

He chuckled heartily, winking at her. "Oh, relax, Angel, it wasn't that bad. Did you hear it? They _loved_ it!"

She rolled her eyes. He was such a sucker for attention, it was ridiculous. He didn't even hide it well. It was written all over his face, in the way he was smirking, all smug and proud, and puffing up his chest. "I _told_ you I didn't want to do that. I don't like that kind of thing," she huffed, turning away from him, eyes fixed back on the court.

With a sigh, he slung his left arm around her shoulders and pressed a sweet kiss to her temple, all soft and affectionate. "I'm sorry, Padme," he whispered in her ear. "I didn't mean to embarrass you." Slowly, she turned her head to face him, not entirely in the mood to forgive him, not _yet_ anyway, and quirked an eyebrow. "I'll make it up to you when we get home," he promised, his voice low and husky as he nipped her earlobe, causing her body to betray her as a shudder trembled down her spine. "Promise."

Those blue eyes of his were wide and pleading and gorgeous, and she couldn't stay mad at him any longer. Curling her lips into a soft smile, she wet her lips and nodded her head. "Well, since you _promised…_ "

With a grin, clearly happy that she'd forgiven him, he swooped down to peck her lips quickly and then took hold of her hand once more, smothering her in his warm skin. "You know you love me," he quipped as the players came back onto the court for a quick warm up before the second half.

Padme couldn't help but smile at the beautiful boy beside her and laced her fingers with his, intimately. "Yeah. I do."


	32. Chapter 32

_**A/N: So, here's the next chapter. It's shorter than I intended, because I was originally going to write one long chapter including the hockey game, but I decided to split it in two. More updates for you that way, considering my updates are pretty slow of late (though, to be honest, I'm pretty proud of myself now). I enjoyed writing this chapter... it's full of fluffy and adorkable cuteness. The next chapter is currently underway, so hopefully an update won't be too far away. Anyway, I hope you like this! :)**_

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On Sunday afternoon, Anakin flew back to Chicago, much to Padme's disappointment. It had been so _nice_ having him around for the whole week, even if he _was_ an invalid, given that they could never spend this much time together as it was. She'd thoroughly enjoyed his company, enjoyed taking care of him, enjoyed rolling over in the mornings to see him dozing beside her peacefully in bed. Now, she was going back to an empty bed each night, and she couldn't help but feel a little lonely.

At least she still had Dorme. Her roommate had returned once Anakin had left, which Padme was eternally grateful for. So was Dorme, it seemed, for as soon as she entered the apartment, lugging her bag over her shoulder, she dumped it on the floor, kicked off her shoes and flopped down on the sofa with a dramatic sigh. "Fuck, it's good to be home," she'd exclaimed, and then the two of them ordered Chinese takeout for dinner and watched reruns of _F.R.I.E.N.D.S_ , like any other Sunday night spent between two best friends.

It was as she listened to Dorme complain about Trey, that she realized just _how_ lucky she truly was. Although, she and Anakin weren't the 'perfect couple' and _definitely_ had their own problems, which they were working through together. But, at least, at the end of the day, Padme _knew_ that Anakin loved her – even if he sometimes went about it in the wrong way, he loved her _unconditionally._ And, _that_ was a rarity.

Poor Dorme was being played so hard by a boy who didn't even _deserve_ her, and it only made Padme feel angry and sad. Apparently, Trey was seeing other girls, and even though they'd never discussed if they were exclusive or not, it had cut her best friend deeply to find this out. Dorme was strong though, and brushed it off casually, but Padme could tell her best friend was truly hurt. As she listened, horrified that someone could treat her beautiful friend so terribly, Padme decided that she needed to put her plan into action. Now.

"You're so lucky," Dorme muttered glumly as she picked at her Chinese food with her fork. "At least, with Anakin, you know _exactly_ what's going on. I have no fucking clue with Trey."

Padme didn't know what to say to that. She couldn't relate, but she felt immense pity for her dearest friend. "You deserve someone who _truly_ appreciates you," she said honestly, giving Dorme a weak smile. "You're an amazing woman, y'know."

Dorme laughed sarcastically and shook her head. "You're about the _only_ person who thinks so."

She wanted to both cry _and_ punch her friend in the face. Instead, she opted for her third option. "What are you doing Friday night?"

"Staying at home and watching _Magic Mike XXL_ with a bottle of wine," Dorme grimaced. "Or three bottles. Like what every other lonely, single girl does on a Friday night. Why?"

Shaking her head firmly, Padme pursed her lips into a thin, determined line. "No, you're _not_. You and I are going to a hockey game."

"We're doing _what_?" Dorme quirked an eyebrow in astonishment, her mouth falling open slightly in surprise.

"One of my friends is on the BU hockey team, and he's playing Friday night. I said I'd come watch him play, and I'm taking you with me. You like hockey, right?"

Dorme nodded her head enthusiastically. "Yeah, I do. But, who's this friend anyway? You've never mentioned him before." Her brown eyes narrowed, suspiciously.

With an air of secrecy, Padme just shrugged, a sly smirk on her face. "Oh, he's a new friend. You haven't met him…yet," she added, waggling her eyebrows just a little, mischief dancing in her eyes.

Shaking her head, Dorme groaned and fixed her with a firm glare. " _Why_ do I have the feeling that you're setting me up?"

"Because I am," Padme said happily, with a firm nod.

" _Padme…_ "

"What?"

"You _know_ I don't like set ups," Dorme reminded her, petulantly. "They're so... awkward."

Padme assured her with a confident smile. "This one won't be, I _promise_. Tyler's a _great_ guy!" It seemed that her roommate needed more than just her vote of confidence, for her expression was still sceptical. "Look, Dorme," she put her foot down firmly, telling it exactly like it was, which she knew would get through to her friend. "You can either stay home and feel sorry for yourself, or you can come out with me and have a good time. It's your choice."

With a bemused grin, Dorme just shook her head. "Alright, alright. I'll come with you. Honestly, though," she added with a laugh. "You have the most _hilarious_ 'fight me' face I've ever seen. It's like a kitten trying to be a lion."

Sticking out her tongue, Padme fished her phone out of the pocket of her sweatpants and sent a quick message to Tyler, asking how to get tickets. He responded instantly, his enthusiasm apparent in his use of excessive exclamation marks, and he told her that he'd get it all sorted out and get back to her on it. She sat back in her seat with a profound sense of satisfaction. Her plan was coming along nicely. She just hoped it would go off without a hitch.

For the rest of the week, Padme was busy with her upcoming assessment pieces, something she'd had little time to attend to while Anakin had been staying with her. Of course, she'd tried to focus on her studies, but any time she did, Anakin would watch her with that _look_ in his eyes that she just couldn't resist, and more often than not, studying was forsaken for lovemaking. It wasn't _her_ fault…well, not entirely. How was she _supposed_ to she focus when he was looking at her like _that_ – like she was his entire _world?_ Especially after everything that had happened between them. Things were looking up between the two of them, and studying had been pushed aside for the week in favor of strengthening their relationship.

At the time, it had been more than worth it, even _necessary._ Only _now_ , she regretted her choice of priorities. Her workload was so immense that she even had to resort to skipping classes to stay home and write her assignments. Just last night, she had stayed in the 24/7 library until 3:00 in the morning to finish an assessment piece; something she'd only ever done once before. When she'd arrived back at the apartment later that morning, Dorme had made her waffles and bacon for breakfast in an attempt to make her feel better, along with a very _strong_ cup of coffee, but Padme was far too tired to eat, and instead, went straight into her room and crashed on her bed – still in her clothes. She was so busy in fact, that she hadn't been able to speak with Anakin the whole week, only exchanging a few brief texts in the evenings before going going to bed.

Residual stress from Anakin's car accident and their _almost_ break-up, coupled with Padme's hectic assessment calendar, left her close to having a mental breakdown. Zits began to break out on her face, and she was drinking _so_ much coffee that her hands were literally shaking. At one stage in the middle of the week, Dorme had _almost_ taken her to the emergency room, fearing for her health, when she'd come home after classes one day to see her roommate in a right state, shaking all over from the combination of stress and caffeine overload.

The only thing that kept Padme going was the thought of watching Tyler's hockey game on Friday night with Dorme. Not just because she needed the break, but because it had been a long time since she'd done something fun with Dorme. And, it _would_ be fun, going to the game together, and they _both_ needed a bit of fun in their lives at the moment.

Anakin Skyped her on Thursday night, while she was working on her laptop, and she quickly answered the call, her entire mood brightening upon seeing his face. He looked well, arm still in his cast, but his eyes soon narrowed in concern as he glanced over her appearance.

" _You look awful, Angel,"_ he told her, honestly.

She glared at him. "Thank you, Anakin. That's _exactly_ what a girl wants to hear from her boyfriend who's supposed to love her."

Holding his hands up in surrender, he tried to placate her with a warm smile. _"I_ do _love you, Angel. It's_ because _I love you that I'm telling you this. Are you alright? You haven't called me all week."_ His eyes grew soft with concern, and he leaned forward just a little, watching her carefully, as though she was going to break.

Padme huffed and rubbed her temples. Her head was pounding with a severe headache, and she was crashing fast from the four large size dark roast coffees, with an added shot of espresso at dinner, from Starbucks she'd consumed during the day. "Just busy, Ani," she supplied, wearily. It took _all_ of her effort to lift her head up to meet his loving gaze, and even then, she had to rest her chin on her hand to keep it there. Then, through a yawn, she muttered, "I was up until 3 am in the library this morning finishing an assignment, and now, I'm crashing from the four large coffees...plus one shot of espresso...that I've had today." She tried to hide her trembling left hand from his view, but she knew she wasn't successful when his mouth flattened with a grimace.

Focusing in on her hand, Anakin's eyes then widened in astonishment at seeing her trembling, and he muttered a quiet, " _Shit,_ " under his breath at her admission. It only made her brows narrow and her lips pursed into a thin line of irritation.

"It's all _your_ fault, y'know," she hissed at him, her utter exhaustion making her cranky and unreasonable.

" _How is it my fault?"_ Anakin raised his eyebrows at her in confusion, slightly insulted by her accusation. Padme knew she was being unfair, but she couldn't help it. She was exhausted, overloaded on caffeine, and in a pissy mood because of it, and Anakin was, unfortunately for _him_ , the person she decided to take it out on.

Rolling her eyes, she scowled at him through the screen. "If you hadn't kept distracting me last week, _Anakin_ , then I wouldn't be so far behind!"

He frowned, a pout forming on his lips, and he exhaled sharply through his nose. She could tell, just by his demeanour, that he was trying his best _not_ to react to her aggressive tone, but it was clearly difficult for him. _"Hey, I wasn't the one throwing themselves at me every damn second,"_ he reminded her. With a small chuckle, he shook his head, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smirk. _"I had more blowjobs last week from you than I've had in my entire life."_ He arched an eyebrow, a teasing half smirk on his face.

His honest remark made Padme flush red and instantly feel ridiculous, and a little ashamed at her own behaviour, because it was _true._ She'd been so caught up with looking after him, and caring for him – sexually and otherwise, that she'd forgotten to study. It was her own fault, and she knew it, too, but she couldn't help herself. Perhaps it was because they'd been apart for two months, or because she felt guilty for almost breaking up with him, or the fact that he was injured and in pain and she wanted to make him feel better, but he was right, she _had_ been all over him the entire week. It was uncharacteristic, even for _them_ , to be _so_ sexually active.

Still, Padme felt the need to defend her actions. "W-well," she stammered in embarrassment. "It's not like we could…y'know, do it properly. So, I had to make some necessary… _adjustments…_ "

Anakin threw his head back and laughed heartily, beaming at her, eyes shining with amusement and just a hint of arrogance. _"I am_ **not** _complaining, Angel, believe me,"_ he winked at her. _"I'm just pointing out the facts."_

Padme crossed her arms and snorted, blowing the stray hairs haloing her forehead out of the way. "Okay, okay. So, I brought it on myself. Still, you could at least be a _little_ sympathetic to my dilemma."

Growing serious, he flashed her a loving smile. _"I'm sorry you're so stressed out, Angel,"_ he said, sincerely, and ran his left hand through his hair, mussing it in a way that only made him more attractive. _"I wish there was something I could do to help."_ Then, his eyes brightened, and his face lit up in a wide grin, suddenly struck with an idea. _"If I was there, and had two working arms, I'd give you the best full body massage you've_ **ever** _had in your life."_

That piqued her interest, and she quirked an eyebrow at him, curiously. "I didn't know you were a masseuse, Ani. More secret talents?"

" _Uh-huh. I'm_ _an_ _excellent_ _masseuse_ , _Babe_ ," he countered with a wolfish glint in his eyes. " _You_ _know_ _how...good_... _I_ _am_ _with_ _my_ _hands_." He shot her a knowing look and then winked.

She grinned at him cheekily. "Mighty big talk there, Skywalker. You prepared to back up that claim? I mean...you're going to have to prove it to me when we see each other next, y'know."

" _Deal."_ His grin was feral, and he flashed her another wink.

They were silent for a little while, just basking in each other's presence. Padme tied her hair up in a messy bun on top of her head, fully aware of Anakin watching her movements with this sweet, fond smile on his face. When she caught him staring at her, she tipped her head to the side. "What?"

He just shook his head. " _Nothing_. _It_ _just_ _amazes_ _me_ _sometimes_ _how_ _beautiful_ _you_ _are_."

Her cheeks flushed hotly, and her insides quivered at his words, and she wanted nothing more than to reach through her laptop and kiss him senseless. Instead, she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and drew her legs up to her chest as she sat on her desk chair, leaning her head forward to rest her right cheek on her knees. "How are you feeling, Ani?" she changed the subject before she became too emotional.

Shrugging his shoulders, he muttered, _"M'alright. Ribs still killing me though. You should see me trying to dress myself… it's like a dog trying to put on pants."_

Even though she felt sorry for him, Padme couldn't help but laugh at the image. "Oh, dear. You poor thing. Couldn't you get Rex or your roommate to help you?"

Anakin scoffed and rolled his eyes, his nostrils flaring at the absurdity of her suggestion. _"Oh, yeah, I'm sure he'd just_ love _that. Because every guy wants their best buddy to get all up close and personal with their junk,_ " he said, his face blank in a deadpan, which only caused Padme to laugh even harder.

"Oh, my poor baby," she simpered, eyes flashing with mirth. " _However_ are you going to cope?" She clicked her tongue and shook her head at him.

His eyes suddenly flashed and his expression turned to one of mischief. _"I could always ask Aayla to help me…"_

As soon as he mentioned _that_ name, Padme's face turned sour, as she remembered Anakin's beautiful, exotic, voluptuous, _female_ friend. Even though she _knew_ Aayla, and she _knew_ there was no need to feel threatened by her, her blood began to boil. Perhaps it was because she was so tired, either way, her jealousy spiked.

" **No**." Her eyes narrowed, and she gritted her teeth as her immediate response spat out of her like a curse, and Anakin's face fell instantly, eyes bulging just a little, slightly frightened.

" _Babe, I was just joking,"_ he said with a weak laugh.

Padme's scowl only deepened. "It wasn't very funny," she muttered, her whole posture now tense.

Suddenly, his smile grew comically wide, and he shook his head. _"You're_ _ **so**_ _fucking cute when you're jealous, Babe. Oh my god,"_ he spluttered between fits of laughter.

She couldn't deny that she _was_ jealous, so she didn't respond, just rested her head on her knees again, sulking sullenly. It was silly, the way she was acting, but she wasn't in the mood for his teasing. Even though it was a joke, the very _thought_ of Aayla Secura (or _any_ other woman for that matter) seeing Anakin in anything less than a pair of regular shorts made her squirm with irrational anger. He was _hers_ and _only_ hers _._

" _Padme…Angel,"_ he called to her softly, and she lifted her head up slowly. " _I promise you, Babe...I'll only ever let_ **you** _handle my underwear."_ With a small nod, she gave him a weak smile, which he returned with a soft eyed expression. _"Good girl."_

"… You're mine, Ani?" she asked in a small voice, her eyes tearing up.

His body language softened as he regarded her, and the look in his eyes left her with no doubt of the truth of his words, as he echoed her sentiment. _"Of course, Angel. Only yours."_ He leaned forward and brushed his fingers of his left hand gently across the screen, as if brushing her cheek, then sat back in his chair and ruffled his hair again. _"So, I saw my psychiatrist for the first time, today."_

The change of subject made Padme sit up straight and shook her out of her blues. "That's _great_ , Ani!" she cried, incredibly pleased for him. "How was it?"

" _Weird,"_ he said with a half-shrug. _"My psych is this tiny little Indian man…Dr. Yoda. He speaks in weird, jumbled up phrases, but he's good, nice. He just asked me a bunch of questions – about Mom, and you, and Obi-wan. We haven't even talked about my childhood yet."_

Padme hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe he's just trying to get to know you better. Form a connection or something."

Anakin nodded his head in agreement. _"Yeah. Probably. I'm seeing him once a week at the moment. We'll see what happens from here. But, I've got a good feeling about it."_

He was so confident and optimistic about the whole thing, not a hint of hesitation or uncertainty about it, and Padme had _never_ felt prouder of him. Her beautiful, emotional, damaged boy was truly growing up, and _oh_ , what a wonderful thing it was to witness, to encourage and _share_ in.

"I'm _so_ proud of you, Ani," she told him, lovingly. "Honestly. It's so great that you're doing this."

Rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, he flushed slightly and blinked up at her through his long eyelashes, all humble and modest. _"All credit goes to you, Padme. I don't know what I'd do without you."_

As sweet as his words were, Padme always grew nervous when he said things like that to her. He _shouldn_ ' _t_ be so reliant on her. Of course, she would always support him and help him, it was in her nature to help those who needed it, but his dependence on her set off alarm bells in her head. She didn't say anything though. It would only ruin the mood, and she didn't want to upset him, or fight with him after everything that had happened.

Suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion, she yawned, screwing up her face, and rested her palm in her hand. Only now did she realize just _how_ tired she really was. As much as she wanted to keep talking to Anakin, she needed sleep.

Anakin seemed to pick up on that and bent closer to the screen, so that she could only see his face. _"You look beat, Babe. I'll let you get to sleep."_

Nodding her head absently, she gave him a tired smile and whispered, "Good night, Ani. I love you."

" _Love you too, Angel. Have fun at the game tomorrow night. Tell Tyler I said 'hi'."_

"Yeah, I will. It should be great," she nodded with as much excitement as she could muster in her weary state. "Dorme's not as thrilled about it as Tyler and I are though."

Anakin chuckled. _"That's because you're setting her up."_

"True..." she yawned again and shook her head a few times, in an attempt to concentrate. She _really_ needed sleep. "Ani, I'm about to fall asleep in this chair right now, so I'm gonna go. I'll talk to you tomorrow, alright?"

" _Alright. Sweet dreams, beautiful. Love you._ "

Disconnecting the call, she stumbled over to her bed, slid under the covers, and promptly crashed. It was the best sleep she'd had all week.


	33. Chapter 33

**_A/N: So, I think I deserve some sort of award or something, because I finished this chapter quicker than I expected! YAY ME! *pats self on back*. Anyway, back to the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Padme and Anakin kinda take a back seat in this one, but sometimes it's nice to sit back and focus on other characters for a change. At least, that's how I feel anyway._**

 ** _I don't know when I'll next update this, but I promise it will be within the next two months? (Is that a terrible thing to promise?) Just know that I love and cherish all of you and your wonderful support for me and this story! MUCH LOVE :D_**

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"Is this alright to wear to a hockey game?" Dorme asked, a twinge of nervousness in her voice. Padme, in the middle of straightening her hair, looked up to see her roommate standing in the doorway to the bathroom. She was in a pair of high-waisted, white-washed boyfriend jeans, cinched at the waist by a black leather belt, and a maroon crop top with a halter-choker neckline that gave her incredible cleavage. A pair of black, lace-up flats and her black leather jacket completed the outfit, and she wore her thick, brown hair in a high ponytail, her bangs framing her face prettily, showing off the six piercings adorning her ears.

Unable to help herself, Padme issued a low wolf-whistle, voicing her appreciation. "Damn, girlfriend, you look _fine_ ," she smirked and shot her friend a wink.

Rolling her eyes, Dorme fiddled with the hem of her jacket idly. "Is it too fancy? Too casual? I really don't know what the goal is here."

Padme waved her hand, dismissing her comment. "It's fine. You look _amazing_. I wish I had legs like yours."

Dorme just rolled her eyes, but Padme noticed the pink tinge decorating her cheeks and grinned to herself. Underneath her bravado and sarcasm, Dorme could be _just_ as insecure and anxious as Padme. She'd known her for years…They'd gone to school together for so long, and Padme was closer to her than _anyone_ else, apart from her family and Anakin, of course. They knew each other inside out, and even though Dorme had turned up her nose at the idea of being set up, Padme knew she was secretly a little bit nervous about it. And, that only made her plan _so_ much sweeter. Honestly, she had _no_ doubt sparks would fly between Tyler and her roommate. She was _sure_ of it.

When they were both ready, they caught a cab down to BU, to Agganis Arena where the game was being played. When Tyler had texted that he had two tickets for her, he'd told her they were playing Providence at 7 p.m and it left Padme practically buzzing with excitement. Next to tennis, hockey was by _far_ her favourite sport, and she loved watching the Bruins play on T.V. But, she hadn't seen a _live_ hockey game in so long, probably since her freshman year at Harvard, and the prospect was an exciting one.

And, of course, there was the added bonus of catching up with Tyler again. She liked him; he was intelligent, had a great sense of humour, and he was charming and a genuinely nice guy – at least, from what she had gathered over the past week. And, she wasn't blind _..._ He was certainly _very_ attractive, and the more she'd gotten to know him, the more she believed he was _perfect_ for Dorme. They'd kept in contact since they'd met each other at the Celtics game, and when Padme had told him she was holding up her promise and bringing along one of her single girlfriends to watch him play, he'd been overtly... _enthusiastic._

Tyler had said his roommate, Mike, was to meet them out the front at the Main Entrance of the arena with their tickets, and once they arrived, they had to search him out in the rather _boisterous_ gathered crowd. According to the description from Tyler, Mike was a skinny, lanky guy with light brown hair and blue eyes, but as Padme scanned the area, she realized that that could literally be any _one_ of the multitude of males currently milling around in the crowd. She sighed irritably, rolling her eyes at Tyler's lack of description and wishing he'd actually texted her a picture, when suddenly, she heard someone calling out her name.

Turning around, she saw a skinny, lanky young man with light brown hair and blue eyes approaching her with a smile, and she realized that this must be Mike, because her name _definitely_ wasn't a common one, so he couldn't have been talking to anyone else.

Padme smiled at him unsurely as he ran up to her. "Mike?"

"Yeah. Padme, right?"

Padme nodded her head, smiling, and held out her hand. "Yes. And, this is my friend, Dorme."

He shook her hand, giving her a quick once over, before flicking his eyes over to Dorme, doing the same. "Nice to meet you both. I'm Ty's roommate. Here's your tickets. We better head inside. The game starts in about twenty-five minutes." Handing them their tickets, he lead the pair of them through the crowd and inside the arena to their seats. It was packed, and _cold_ , because of the ice rink, and Padme was suddenly glad she'd opted for her thick, woollen pea coat, as well as her Harvard sweatshirt, white turtleneck, and black jeans tucked inside her favourite tan knee high boots. Dorme, on the other hand, was visibly shaking in her leather jacket, her teeth chattering, and she muttered under her breath about regretting her outfit choice. Padme just shook her head with a smile, and assured her friend that at least she still looked _fabulous_...chilly maybe, but fabulous, which caused Dorme to smirk and roll her eyes.

Tyler had gotten them great seats in section 112, diagonally to the right behind BU's team bench. Mike sat next to Padme, with Dorme on her other side, as they waited for the game to start and the three of them began chatting away. Studying a business major at BU, he was the same age as Tyler, at 23. Padme liked him, too. He was cute, in a bit of a dorky kind of way, and he had a great sense of humour, which soon had both girls laughing. He was one of those guys that was just so easy to talk to, someone that Padme thought would be able to talk to absolutely anyone, anywhere and hold a legitimate conversation on just about anything. And, _boy_ , did he like to talk, which Padme found highly amusing. It was convenient that Mike was a huge hockey fan, too, since he was Tyler's roommate, and gave them both a quick history of the BU hockey program, including their 5 National Championships, and that the program had produced 157 NHL draftees to date, which he recited like it was common knowledge.

As the two teams were coming out on the ice to take their warmup shots, Dorme excused herself to go to the restroom. Mike pointed Tyler out to Padme. He wore #6 this season, and they watched as he skated and stretched during the pregame warmup with his teammates. Padme couldn't help but notice how gracefully, yet powerfully, he moved over the ice. Mike explained Tyler played forward and was usually on the second line rotation this roster.

Right at that moment, as Tyler and his teammate, Jordan Greenway, another forward, skated past their section, he looked up into the stands, spotted Mike with Padme and suddenly grinned widely and motioned for them to head down to the ice. Skating over to the edge of the rink, he waited for them as they made their way down to him. Seeing his beaming smile, Padme couldn't help but return it, and silently cursed Dorme's poor restroom timing.

"Hey, Padme! Glad you made it! Thanks for coming!"

"Hey, Ty! No worries," Padme grinned back at him. "I'm actually really excited!"

Tyler nodded his head. "Yeah, it should be a good game. Where's your friend?" he added, glancing around the stands.

Amused at his eagerness, she was again _strongly_ reminded of Anakin, and laughingly replied, "Don't worry! She's here. Dorme just went to the restroom. She'll be right back." Despite her reassurance, he still looked a little crestfallen at not getting to meet Dorme before the game, but nodded his head, saying he needed to get to the bench but would see them all after the game.

Moving back up to their seats, they noticed Dorme was back, and they settled in for the game, as the announcer came on over the loudspeakers. Standing for the national anthem, they clapped loudly as the starting line-up for each team was announced, and then, sitting back down, Padme leaned forward with anticipation as the opposing players lined up for the opening face-off.

Glad she'd thought to bring her earphones for the game's radio broadcast, Padme watched and listened intently to the play-by-play. It was thrillingly fast paced, the teams evenly matched as the players raced up and down the ice, and the three of them found themselves caught up in the intensity of it, alternatively booing at bad calls and cheering wildly with the rest of the crowd when BU scored first, just as the first twenty-minute period of regulation play came to an end.

The three of them chatted easily about the game during the break between periods, and when the second period started, Padme quickly noticed Dorme's eyes were eagerly trained on Tyler's every move on the ice. Grinning inwardly to herself, she was delighted to see this spark of interest in her best friend, and her feeling that this would work out beautifully grew even more.

With five minutes left in the second period, after Providence scored, tying the game at 1 - 1, an altercation between several players broke out on the ice, including Tyler, and Padme watched and listened with growing amusement at the string of curses Dorme muttered under her breath in Tyler's defence when he was sent to the penalty box, as she nervously bounced her knees and rubbed her hands on her thighs. _This is getting better and better_ , she thought to herself, smugly.

As the third and final period of regulation play began, Padme's phone vibrated in her pocket. Quickly reaching for it, she saw a text from Anakin and beamed as she read it.

 **Hey babe. How's the game so far?**

Grinning, Padme quickly took a selfie of her and Dorme making funny faces and sent it to Anakin with her response: **Hi baby. Going great! Game's tied. I think she likes him!**

Anakin's response was immediate. **LOL you cheeky matchmaker. Have fun. Call me later. Love you :)**

Laughing, she quickly wrote back that she'd call when she got home, sending him a kissy emoji, before putting her phone away and turning her attention back to the game.

As the closing minutes of the third period ticked down, the play on the ice heated up. Three minutes before the closing buzzer, Tyler and Jordan suddenly sprinted up the ice, the puck flying back and forth between them with well-practiced ease, headed for the Providence goal, and Padme had to admit she was impressed at Tyler's skill on the ice.

The crowd collectively pushed to their feet, cheering and chanting the BU fight song, as the BU players worked feverishly for an opening to the net. Tyler, working the puck against the boards behind the Providence net, broke free of the opposing defenceman, skated to his left, pulled back quickly with his stick and shot the puck toward Jordan, who had raced to the front of the net. He received the puck from Tyler, whirled and slapped it hard toward the upper left side of the goal. The Providence goalie lunged to grab it, but wasn't fast enough, and the puck flew past him, landing in the net. Suddenly, a tremendous _roar_ erupted from the ecstatically cheering fans, and Dorme, bouncing up and down with excitement like everyone else, reached out and crushed Padme in a hug, causing her to wince momentarily at the hard _squeeze_ , but pleased just the same by her friend's sudden enthusiasm.

They happily watched as Tyler and Jordan were congratulated by their teammates, and Padme was pleased to see Tyler quickly glance up at them from the ice, shooting them a wink before heading to the bench. The final buzzer rang out moments later, signalling the end of the game, and the fans applauded and cheered their home team's 2 -1 victory over Providence.

Much to Padme's disappointment, they didn't get to see Tyler immediately after the game, as he and his teammates skated off the ice towards the locker room for a post-game analysis with their coach. However, as they were sitting there waiting, her phone vibrated again, this time with a message from Tyler himself.

 **Hey! So we're having a victory party. Mike knows where to go. I'd love it if you and your friend came!**

Padme immediately discussed the idea with Dorme, who agreed instantly, before shooting back a reply. It had been _months_ since she'd last been to a party – the last one being when she'd visited Anakin and met his friends for the first time – and while she was determined not to disgrace herself like she had _then,_ she was most definitely going to enjoy herself. Partying with Dorme was always a fun experience. The girl could hold her liquor quite impressively and had some of the best dance moves Padme had _ever_ witnessed.

They waited until the arena was almost empty before Mike took them to the frat house where the party was being held. It was only a couple of blocks from the Agganis Arena, so they decided to walk. The streets were packed with cheering fans whooping and celebrating loudly, and at one point, a car full of guys drove past with the windows down, and they wolf- whistled and hollered suggestively out at Padme and Dorme. Padme just rolled her eyes at them – they were probably drunk already. Dorme just laughed and blew them kisses, while Mike was _less_ than impressed, taking a defensive stance and stepping between the girls and the road as an adorable attempt to protect them that Padme found highly amusing.

It was chaotic when they came within a few yards of the party, which had migrated out onto the front lawn and the sidewalk _and_ the street. Padme had an uncomfortable feeling of déjà vu and quickly sent a photo to Anakin with the comment: **Look where I ended up :/**

His response dripped with mockery as he replied: **Try not to throw up all over yourself this time babe ;)**

Grinning to herself, she fired back a rapid response: **Smartass.**

His reply was instantaneous: **LOL just saying**

Shaking her head in amusement, she tucked her phone away in her coat pocket and followed as Mike lead them through the dense throng of people at the party in search of Tyler. They found him over in the lounge room, talking with a bunch of his teammates, and when he noticed them, he beamed widely and hurried over to greet them. He'd obviously showered after the game, because he was now dressed in a pair of black jeans and a tight fitting, dark green cashmere sweater, which made the green in his eyes pop.

"Hey!" he greeted them excitedly, pulling Padme into a rough bear hug, which she happily returned, before slapping Mike on the back in masculine affection. Once he turned and saw Dorme, however, Padme smirked at the way he swallowed thickly and trailed his eyes up and down her body before resting on her face. He looked really… _nervous_ , which confused Padme just a little. When he'd flirted with her at the game last Friday, he'd been nothing but suave and oozing with confidence, but here, it was like he was a totally different person all of a sudden. It only filled Padme with much more _hope_ that this was going to work out.

Coughing, he summoned his courage and held out his hand to her. "Hi, I'm Tyler. You must be Dorme."

Dorme shook his hand and nodded her head, giving him her brightest smile. "Yes. It's nice to meet you, Tyler."

Tyler laughed nervously and let go of her hand, rubbing the back of his neck in that way that reminded Padme so much of Anakin. "Yeah. You, too." They stood there for a while, just staring at each other. The air between them was thick with electricity, and so Padme decided to break up the moment before it got too uncomfortable.

"Great game, Ty!" Padme congratulated him with a smile, using the nickname he'd said she could call him. "You played really well! Wonderful assist you had on that last goal. I was really impressed!"

His chest puffed out _just_ a little at the praise, and he grinned. "Thanks. It's always good to get a win." Then, as his gaze drifted back to Dorme, he added, "Do you ladies want a drink?"

Both girls nodded in affirmation, and so Tyler and Mike headed for the hallway bathroom, where the tub had been filled with ice for the storage of drinks. Padme watched Dorme as they left, noting how her best friend's eyes followed Tyler with this... _strange_ expression on her face, as though she'd recently been hit over the head with a large textbook. It made Padme laugh.

"So…?" Padme waggled her eyebrows, unable to keep the smirk off her face. "Am I the best friend ever or am I the best friend _ever_ , huh?!"

Dorme fixed her with a blank look, feigning nonchalance about the entire thing. As always. Dorme had the art of the _poker face_ down pat, and rarely showed her emotions unless she specifically _wanted_ to. "He seems… _nice_ ," she concluded after a mild pause, as though searching her vocabulary for the least descriptive word she could find. "I mean…I don't _know_ him, so I can't really form an opinion, or anything...but I would say, from a first glance - "

Padme rolled her eyes at her best friend and nudged her in the ribs with her elbow. "It's okay to admit he's hot, y'know. I'm not gonna judge!"

Somehow, her reassurance seemed to be all Dorme needed, for her act dropped immediately, and her cheeks flushed bright red. "Alright, yeah. I admit it...He's _really_ fucking **hot**." Then, groaning in embarrassment, her eyes widening in horror, she slapped her hand over her mouth as though she's just said something horrible. "Oh _god_ , does that make me shallow?"

Unable to contain her laughter, Padme just places her hand on Dorme's arm in an attempt to placate her. "No, honey. It just means you have a pair of eyes."

"Seriously, though," Dorme muttered under her breath. "Wherethe _hell_ do you _find_ all these amazingly good looking men?! I mean...Damn, woman! First Anakin, now _him,"_ Dorme thumbed toward the hallway where the guys had gone, "I mean, Trey's not _bad_ looking, but he's sure as hell not a fucking _Abercrombie & Finch_ model...like _that_ one!" Her eyes drifted back to the hallway for a moment before growing wide, almost accusatory, and it only made Padme laugh harder.

"I met him last Friday at the Celts game with Ani and Dad. He works at the bistro there part time, and he served me coffee when I went to get food."

Dorme just shook her head and heaved a sigh. "Okay. That's it. I need to start going places with you more. And, I gotta know... _How_ do you just randomly become close friends with a super hot guy who serves you coffee?"

"Well, Ty did ask me out, but – "

" – Oh, _great!_ That's just fucking _perfect,_ " Dorme muttered darkly under her breath, her expression turning sour. The change in her friend took Padme completely by surprise.

"What?"

"Of _course,_ he asked _you_ out," she drawled sarcastically on a huff.

Frowning, Padme crossed her arms and fixed her friend with a slight scowl. " _What_ are you talking about?" she demanded firmly.

"Oh, nothing," Dorme dismissed her, her expression snarky. "By now, let's just say I'm _used_ to being second best to the _oh so perfect Padme Naberrie_. It's not like it's anything new." Dorme snorted and rolled her eyes.

This sudden angry outburst from her best friend was unexpected and a little shocking. Is _that_ what Dorme really thought? That _she_ was perfect? Padme scoffed at such a ridiculous idea. She was _far_ from perfect. "I'm **not** perfect, Dorme. Nowhere near it," she retorted immediately with a firm nod. "And, secondly, you're second best to _no_ _one_. Where the _hell_ is all this coming from anyway?"

Dorme just rolled her eyes again. "Oh, _please._ Spareme _,_ will you?I'm _always_ comingin second to _you_. You've always been the _prettier_ one, the _smarter_ one, the more _popular_ one. It's been like this ever since high-school, Padme. You just haven't noticed because you're too absorbed in your _own_ damn problems to worry about anyone else's."

Her words sliced through the air like a knife, cutting Padme deep. She'd _never_ heard Dorme say _anything_ remotely like that before. "That's – that's not true. Dorme, you're not… _second_ to me! I've _never_ thought that at all. Ever." Padme returned hotly, upset to hear her best friend talking like this.

"Cut me the pity, Padme," Dorme sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Do you think I _enjoy_ being someone's second choice? I'm already competing for Trey, but that's with girls I haven't met before. I _never_ thought I'd have to compete against my own fucking best friend for a guy."

" _Dorme_ …" Padme reached out and put her hand on her shoulder, but her friend shrugged her off, hurt and betrayal written all over her face. "There's _no_ competition here. Tyler and I are _just_ friends. That's all. I love _Anakin_ , remember? And, Tyler knows about Anakin – he even _met_ him at the game…it was just _one_ time, before he knew I had a boyfriend…"

But Dorme, it seemed, was intent on keeping her views. "I can't believe _you_ , of _all_ people, would do this to me! Setting me up with a guy who is _totally_ into you? Does that make _you_ feel better about yourself?"

"No!" Padme insisted, horrified at Dorme's perspective, and trying desperately to keep her voice from getting too loud, but it was proving difficult to do. She couldn't _believe_ they were fighting about this. _This!_ They hadn't had a fight in _years._ "Dorme, that's _not_ why I - you've got this **all** wrong. I just thought it would be good for you…"

"Then what? What?! You feel _sorry_ for me, or something? Because I'mnot in some soap opera relationship like you, that's means I'm not happy?" She didn't even give Padme a chance to respond, before continuing on her verbal rampage, a deep scowl on her face. " **How** am I supposed to even stand a chance with a guy who's into _you?_ Answer me that, huh? Seriously, Padme. You can be a _complete_ idiot sometimes."

Then, she abruptly turned on her heel and began to walk away.

Padme stared after her for a moment, confused and upset, before calling out to her. "Dorme! Where are you going?"

"To the bathroom," she snapped back, then turned a corner and disappeared from sight.

Speechless. That was the only way Padme could possible describe how she was feeling. The night had turned from fun one moment, to terse and angry the next, and she hadn't seen it coming for the life of her. She _should_ have been angry at Dorme for saying such things, but all she felt was deep regret. Dorme had been speaking the truth from her heart, and though the truth hurt, but it was the truth nonetheless. She really did feel overshadowed by Padme, something she'd never picked up on the entire time they'd been friends, and it made her grow concerned. _Was_ she a bad friend for not noticing this? _Did_ it make her self-centred and selfish?

Perhaps she talked about Anakin and their relationship too much and didn't give Dorme enough attention for her _own_ problems. Maybe it was because she'd (for all intents and purposes) kicked Dorme out of their apartment when Anakin was staying with them last week – even though it _was_ her idea and she'd left voluntarily, there'd still been a _slight_ push from Padme, she couldn't deny that.

Had Dorme been right about this too? Yes, Padme could admit she'd been flattered when Tyler had asked her out, mainly because it was nice to be appreciated as a woman. Had that mild flattery subconsciously influenced her decision to organize this set up, to make _herself_ feel better than her friend? Padme immediately disregarded that thought. That was totally insane. _All_ she wanted was for her best friend to be as happy as she was. Still, they needed to work this out. Padme didn't like conflict, especially with those she cared about. She had to make it right.

Tyler and Mike returned a few moments later with beers in hand and gave Padme hers. Tyler's brows furrowed when he noticed Dorme wasn't with her.

"Where's your friend?" he asked, eagerly.

With a weak smile, Padme took her beer and gestured toward the bathroom, not wanting to let on that they'd had a fight. "She's just in the john."

"Oh, okay," Tyler nodded his head casually, even though his eyes kept darting towards the direction of the bathroom every few seconds. "Y'know, Padme, when you said you were bringing one of your girlfriends along, I didn't expect you to bring a supermodel."

Padme laughed and shook her head at him. Oh, how she _wished_ Dorme could have heard _that._ It would have definitely increased her confidence.

"She's… _gorgeous…_ " His eyes glazed over a little as he thought about Dorme, which Padme found incredibly sweet.

"Yeah, that she is," Padme agreed with a small smile.

"Do you reckon she's into me?" he blurted out suddenly, and Mike burst out laughing beside him, almost spewing out his mouthful of beer.

Padme grinned at him. "I dunno, Ty. You've only just met her."

That brought him back down to earth, and he nodded his head and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. Course. _Fuck_ , look at me. I'm acting so... _desperate_ right now, it's fucking embarrassing."

"It's cute," Padme assured him, her eyes twinkling with mirth. Honestly, he sounded _so_ much like Anakin. It was almost scary.

"It's _pathetic._ I just…I haven't been on a date in so long – even though this isn't _really_ a date, but…I mean, still - I don't wanna screw this up, y'know?"

She understood completely and reached out to grip his forearm in support. "You won't. Just be yourself, Ty. You're a sweet, charming guy. If you talk to _her_ like you did to _me_ last Friday, you'll have her swooning in no time," she added with a grin, which he returned, impishly.

"Speaking of Friday, how's the boyfriend? What's his name again?" he asked, casually.

Padme sighed a little miserably. "Anakin. He went back to Chicago on Sunday. He says 'hi', by the way."

Tyler nodded his head and gave her a kind, supportive smile. "Cool. Nice guy. I kinda like him. But, that sucks. The long distance thing. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Padme assured him. "I'll see him again soon. It's his step brother's wedding in a month, and we're both going back to Minnesota for that, so that'll be nice." Tyler nodded in understanding and went back to watching the doorway for Dorme, which left Padme suddenly feeling a bit bereft without Anakin.

When Anakin had told her that he wanted them _both_ to attend Owen's wedding together, they'd agreed not to see each other until then, to save money on _both_ of their parts. It had been a tough thing for Anakin to agree to at first, seeing as he hated being apart from her at the best of times, but he'd eventually realized it was for the best. The thought of going back to Minnesota for five days and catching up with her mother, as well as Shmi, was enough of an incentive for Padme. It was only a month. They'd been apart for longer than that before.

Tyler hummed in agreement and took another sip of his beer, as he looked back at Padme. "Yeah, I suppose. Still, it's gotta be hard on him, seeing how crazy he is about you. I mean, I've never had a long distance relationship myself, but Mikey here knows a thing or two about long distance, don'tcha?" he tipped his head towards his roommate, who shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yeah, my girlfriend's been over in England for six months now," he supplied with a small smile. "She's doing an exchange program at the University of Birmingham."

"Oh, wow!" Padme exclaimed. "That's amazing!" She'd been wanting to do an exchange program the entire time she'd been at Harvard, but they were difficult to arrange, and she didn't feel comfortable asking her father for the money. It was bad enough he was paying for her education _and_ her living expenses. She didn't want him to pay for her exchange trip, too.

Mike's face lit up with pride, and he nodded. "Yeah. It is. She was a little worried about taking it, because we'd only been together for about four months, but I told her she was crazy not to go. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, y'know?"

"Absolutely," Padme replied with a nod. Just like when she'd heard about Teckla's relationship with Tommy, Padme suddenly felt _lucky_ to be in her situation. She and Anakin didn't have it _that_ bad – there were worse situations to be in.

They continued standing there for a while, chatting amiably amongst themselves, until Padme realized that Dorme still hadn't returned from the bathroom. Growing worried for her friend, she excused herself from the conversation, dismissing Tyler's sweet offer of going with her to find Dorme, and headed off in search for her. It was something she needed to do on her own.

She found her sitting outside on the steps of the back patio, knees bent up with her chin resting on them, looking glum. Padme felt a pang of pity as she saw her; this side of her best friend was one she rarely ever saw. Normally, Dorme was snarky, sarcastic, quick-witted and sassy…she was rarely _ever_ miserable like this. It made Padme feel like an awful friend.

Plopping down beside her, Padme handed her the beer Tyler had gotten for her. Dorme jolted a little at the unexpected company, before her eyes softened and she took the beer, instantly taking a large swig, in an attempt to drown out her sorrows.

"Hey," Padme began in a soft voice, placing her hand on her friend's knee.

Dorme sighed. "Hey."

"Look, Dorme… I just wanna – "

"Don't, Padme…" Dorme interrupted her. "You don't have to apologize. I was a massive bitch back there," she muttered quietly, looking out towards the distance. "I'm sorry." When she twisted her head to meet her gaze, her eyes were sad and sincere.

Giving her knee a squeeze, Padme just shook her head. "It's okay. I understand. It's not fair, the way Trey's been treating you. And, I'm sorry if I talk about Anakin too much. That must be hard for you to hear…given what you're going through. I didn't think about that, and I'm sorry."

Nodding her head, Dorme just sighed. "I just…you found love so _easily,_ and I …I don't think that'll _ever_ happen for me, y'know? What you and Anakin have…it's _special._ And, I want something that special, too.I'm…I'm just jealous, I suppose…"

"Hey, don't say that," Padme told her firmly. "Just because some asshole is treating you like shit, doesn't mean you're not worthy of real _love._ And, believe me," she chuckled under her breath, "my relationship with Anakin is not _easy._ It's _really_ trying sometimes. Look what happened with Clovis, remember? But, at the end of the day, it's worth it. And, one day, you'll have that, too. I _know_ you will."

Dorme beamed at her prettily, and Padme suddenly threw her arms around her in a tight hug. They remained in that embrace for a few precious moments, and Padme knew that everything was alright between them. When they pulled away, they grinned at each other, before Dorme smirked.

"Right…well, let's go get drunk then, shall we?"

Padme laughed. "Sounds good to me. Oh," she added as they helped each other to their feet. "Ty's _really_ into you, by the way. He thinks you're gorgeous."

Scoffing, Dorme fixed her with a suspicious look, eyebrows shooting up. "Oh _please_. He does not."

"It's _true,_ " Padme insisted with a sly grin. "When you were in the bathroom, he told me, _"Y'know, Padme, when you said you were bringing one of your girlfriends, I didn't expect you to bring a supermodel,"_ she repeated his words in a terrible imitation of his deep, Boston accent, which made Dorme snort with laughter. Still, she noticed how Dorme held herself a little higher after that as they headed back to find the guys, and she felt a small sense of satisfaction. There was nothing better than a hot guy thinking you're attractive to raise your confidence.

Tyler immediately brightened when Dorme returned, and Padme left the two of them to talk, while she hung out with Mike. He could talk the legs off a horse, but Padme didn't mind, because it meant she could tune out and eavesdrop on her best friend's conversation without Mike even noticing. They were far enough away that she could eavesdrop without being suspicious. She watched them intently, noticing how Dorme twirled her hair and cocked her hip in that way that meant she was flirting, which brought a proud smirk to Padme's lips. _You go, girlfriend,_ she inwardly cheered.

"… Congratulations on the win. You're _really_ good. I was impressed," Dorme praised him with a coy little smile on her face.

Tyler practically grew taller at her compliment, his expression turning smug, and he grinned at her. "Thanks. Did you enjoy the game?"

"Yeah, it was great! Thanks for letting me come!"

"No problem," Tyler flashed her a bright, genuine smile and stepped closer to her, his voice growing soft and husky. "I'm really glad you came." Even from this distance away, Padme could see the deep blush colouring her best friend's cheeks and giggled to herself. Try as she might to appear cool and collected, Dorme was _seriously_ affected by Tyler, and it amused Padme to know end.

"So, are you a political science major, too?" he asked her, breaking the heated silence that existed between them.

Dorme snorted. " _God,_ no _._ That is strictly Padme's territory. I'm doing a duel major; communications and business."

Tyler whistled under his breath, arched his eyebrows, and nodded his head. "Wow. That's…intense."

"Tell me about it," she made a face and sighed. "And, the way it's going, I'll probably be studying for the rest of my life, too."

"You'll get there," Tyler assured her through a hearty laugh. "I mean, you got into Harvard, so you're obviously pretty smart. And, to be honest," he added softly, a little half-smirk, one _so_ reminiscent of Anakin, pulling at his lips that even _Padme_ found it sexy, so she could imagine how it made Dorme feel. "You're _pretty,_ too. _Really_ pretty." He was staring down at her, eyes focused solely on her face, and when his tongue snuck out to wet his lips, Padme noticed Dorme's face flush deeper, and she quickly averted her eyes from this obviously _private_ moment.

The whole thing made Padme snigger, as she blatantly eavesdropped on their conversation _._ Good _god_ , he had it bad. Tyler was _just_ as obvious in his intentions as Anakin, and wasn't even ashamed of them. Honestly, they'd get along really well, Padme was sure of it.

Dorme laughed and shook her head at him. "Clearly _you've_ had too much to drink," she teased him, crossing her arms over her chest and raising her eyebrows.

"Actually, I don't think I've had enough," Tyler countered with a smirk. "You want another one?"

"Sure."

Padme was brought back to her own conversation when Mike started laughing beside her. "How long do you reckon it'll be before they start making out?" he asked, helplessly.

Giggling, Padme shrugged her shoulders. "An hour?" she guessed.

Mike furrowed his eyebrows. "Thirty minutes. I'll put $20 on it."

"Deal!" They touched their beers together as a salute and took a drink, sealing the impromptu bet, just as Dorme looked over to her, her eyes wide, seeking approval. Padme just grinned, gave her a thumbs up, accompanied by a wink.

When Tyler returned, he announced that they should all play a round of pool, which Dorme agreed to quickly, her fiercely competitive instincts flaring up. Padme and Mike reluctantly agreed after a whole lot of probing from the other two, and the four of them sought out the pool table. A group of _very_ drunk males had just finished playing, and handed the table over without much persuasion.

Beside her, Mike grumbled under his breath, "I'm shit at pool."

"Same," Padme muttered back.

Both Tyler and Dorme, however, were quite talented, but it was their competitiveness that was the _most_ entertaining thing to watch. They soon left Padme and Mike behind, and after a few minutes, they stopped playing, leaving the other pair to their own devices. Things quickly grew intense between the two of them, as it came down to the last few balls. Aggressive taunts and teases were exchanged in heated tones as they mocked each other. To anyone else, it would have seemed rather brutal, but Padme knew her best friend well and secretly delighted in the pair's display.

Dorme was _super_ competitive. Her idea of flirting and showing an interest in a guy was by proving she was better than them at pretty much everything. She _hated_ losing – to her, it was a sign of weakness, and she _never_ wanted to look weak. Most guys were intimidated by this kind of approach, but Tyler, it seemed, could handle it. In fact, he actually appeared to _like_ it, for there was this bemused smirk on his face the whole time. Anytime Dorme took a shot, his eyes were glued to her, watching her intently with almost a _predatory_ gaze that Padme didn't miss, knowing that look well as Anakin looked at _her_ like that all the time. She smirked, thrilled as this was going even better than _she'd_ hoped.

The entire game was surrounded by this thick, heady, sexual tension that pulsed and rippled in the air. Padme could practically _feel_ it radiating out of each of them as she watched it unfold before her, quietly sipping her beer, amused and grinning madly.

"Ha! I win!" Dorme cheered in a _very_ unsportsmanlike manner as she sunk the black ball, turning on Tyler with her hip cocked and a fierce expression on her face.

Rolling his eyes, Tyler just huffed at the insult to his male ego. "That's because you cheated."

Dorme took a step closer to him, her brown eyes sparkling with challenge. There was this pink tinge to her cheeks, from the beer, Padme assumed, that made her look even prettier. " _Bullshit_ ," she retorted. "I beat you fair and square."

"Then I say we rematch." Their faces were mere inches from each other, lips twitching, and Padme was slightly concerned that they'd suddenly start tearing each other's clothes off and make out on the pool table.

"You sure you wanna lose again, big guy?" Dorme teased him with a smirk.

"You'll be eating those words when I'm through with you, little missy," he shot back, his voice husky and rough.

Dorme reached up and tightened her ponytail, an action that not only showed she meant business but also pushed her ample cleavage upward, an action Tyler took in immediately with a sweep of his gaze. Dorme shrugged off her leather jacket, chucking it to Padme, who was fighting _hard_ not to burst out laughing. "We'll _see_ ," Dorme quipped. "Loser has to buy dinner."

" _You're_ _on."_ Tyler picked up the gauntlet with finesse, his voice smoothly confident. It was blatantly obvious he found Dorme to be an _enticing_ challenge.

"I feel like we need some popcorn or something," Mike whispered to a smirking Padme, as they watched the second game unfold. She chuckled in agreement.

The second game was as heated (and entertaining) a contest as the first, the air thick with their rapid fire, back and forth snarky banter, innuendo, and double entendre. Dorme won the second match easily, and even though Tyler protested that it wasn't fair, Padme could see right through his act. He'd done it on purpose so that he could buy Dorme dinner, and it was one of the _cutest_ things she'd ever seen.

"So, I guess you owe me dinner, then, Hotshot," she told him, raising her eyebrow with a smirk.

Tyler shrugged his shoulders and stepped closer to her, a matching smirk curving his own lips. "I guess I do." They were standing so close they were almost touching, and Padme quickly set down her beer, pulled out her phone, and took a picture of the oblivious couple, sending it to Anakin with the message: **Call me Cupid.**

Instantly, his reply came back: **Proud of yourself, aren't you?. Watch out for that big head of yours babe.**

Rolling her eyes, she replied: **Bite me.**

His next reply made Padme blush: **I intend to ;)**

Padme smirked and put her phone away, turning back to pick up her beer and watch the unfolding romance before her.

Handing Tyler her beer, Dorme exclaimed that she needed to use the bathroom again and sashayed away, with an extra swing to her hip that made Padme smirk. It did _not_ go unnoticed by Tyler, who watched her walk away with this dazed look on his face, his eyes, now darkened to a deep emerald green, drawn to the sensual sway of her hips.

Approaching him with a knowing sigh, Padme leaned up against the pool table and raised her eyebrows at him, unable to keep the smug grin off of her face. "You alright there, Romeo?"

He blinked suddenly and looked down at her, as though she'd suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "Huh?"

Padme laughed and put her head in her hands. "You can relax, Ty. She likes you."

"She…she _does?_ "

Padme then came to the conclusion that men were absolutely clueless. Unless a girl spelt out _exactly_ how she was feeling, they had _no_ idea. " _Yes_ , Ty. She _likes_ you. Dorme gets competitive when she's flirting."

Tyler rubbed the back of his neck again, looking a little relieved and sighed. "I like it. She's so damn feisty. It's…fucking _hot._ "

"I _know_ you let her win on purpose," Padme waggled her eyebrows with a mischievous grin.

Caught out, Tyler just smirked, all smug and proud of himself. "I want to take her out. Is that such a crime?" When Padme shook her head, he suddenly added, "You won't tell her that though, will you, Padme? She's a bit intimidating, y'know?"

"Your secret's safe with me," Padme promised with a smug nod.

Suddenly, Dorme returned and strode right up to Tyler, took his face between her hands and kissed him _hard_ on the mouth. Padme was just as surprised as Tyler was by this, who stood in shock, eyes wide open, as Dorme pressed her lips against his. Then, as if she realized what she'd just done, she jerked away instantly, her face turning red and bit her lip, darting her eyes to the floor.

"Oh wow…I'm – I'm _so_ sorry," she stuttered in embarrassment, looking anywhere but at _him._ "That was…that was rude…I don't normally do _that_. I didn't mean to – "

Tyler stepped up to her so that their chests were pressed together, bent down, took her face gently in his hands, and captured her lips with his own, effectively shutting her up. Padme watched with this happy little smile as they pulled each other closer, wrapping their arms around each other. It was only once things started to get a bit more _heated_ and passionate between the two of them, for Dorme was now seated on top of the pool table and Tyler had stepped in between her legs, that Padme looked away, to give them some privacy.

"Come on. Let's leave them alone," Mike whispered to Padme, as he motioned for her to follow him.

As she and Mike went outside to get some fresh air and left the new love birds to their own devices, he quietly coughed and cleared his throat and held out his hand. "That was less than thirty minutes. I'll have my $20 bucks please."

Padme grinned as she handed over the cash. It was $20 well spent.


	34. Chapter 34

_**A/N: I've hit the jackpot in terms of inspiration for this story at the moment, so hopefully I can keep it up and pump out a few more chapters before it disappears (tricky little thing that it is).**_

 _ **Also, Dorme is my spirit animal xD**_

 _ **Hope you enjoy! xx**_

* * *

When it came time for Padme to fly back home to Minnesota, she awoke bright and early to begin packing. The past few days had been hectic, as she'd had to complete and submit several assignments early, because they were due when she would be away. Still, it had been worth the extra pressure, because _now_ she could spend five blissful days back home stress-free. Padme was excited to go back home. She missed her mother and looked forward to catching up with her, as they hadn't seen each other since Christmas. And, _of_ _course_ , she thrilled at the idea of spending five days with Anakin, without having to worry about her studies, or _his_ studies, or have their classes get in the way.

Of course, Padme was also excited about the wedding. It would be her and Anakin's first formal event together as a couple, and she had bought a new dress...well, a whole new _outfit_ really, including shoes, purse, _and_ jewellery, specifically for the occasion. The last formal event they'd attended together was Shmi and Cliegg's wedding back in July, but they hadn't been _together_ back then. This was a big moment for them both. Almost as if they were solidifying their relationship; stamping their _couple_ status and declaring it to the world.

She hummed happily to herself as she packed her suitcase full of the necessary essentials. She carefully folded everything – pyjamas, underwear, day clothes, her wedding outfit, and her makeup and toiletry items. Smirking to herself, she also included her red lingerie set that Anakin had loved, as well as several other new lingerie items he had yet to see. She giggled to herself when she held up a sheer, body hugging babydoll in a deep plum colour that was _sure_ to spark Anakin's desire. Dorme had been _especially_ proud of her when she'd come home with her new purchases, and when she'd decided to send Anakin a sneak preview of just _one_ of her new pieces, he'd expressed his enthusiasm rather _exuberantly._ She also made sure she packed her winter woollies as well, just to be safe, because even though it was slowly getting warmer, back in Minnesota, it would still be cold at this time of year.

Dorme was driving her to the airport in her car, seeing as she didn't have classes today, which Padme was thankful for, because it meant she wouldn't need to catch a cab. After what had happened to Anakin when he'd last caught a cab to the airport, she was a _little_ anxious about riding in one - understandably so. Her flight was due to leave just after noon, which meant she'd arrive sometime in the mid-afternoon, and her mother was to pick her up from the airport. Anakin's flight was due in much earlier than hers, but Padme didn't mind. She'd told him that he should spend the day with his family, and she'd see him later on this evening, wanting to spend _her_ day with her mother and catch up on lost time.

As she packed her bag, she suddenly remembered that her phone charger was out in the kitchen, and she went out to retrieve it, only to find there was a half-naked man in her kitchen. Padme froze in shock for a moment before she realized it was Tyler. He was standing at the sink, getting himself a glass of water, in only a pair of black briefs with his _very_ muscular back facing her. She quickly averted her eyes, feeling her cheeks flush hotly with embarrassment, and coughed uncomfortably, letting him know that she was awake.

With a jolt, he turned around, his bright hazel eyes widening in shock, and he almost choked on his water, hastily swallowing it. Running a hand through his close shaven, fuzzy black hair, he let out a tiny bubble of awkward laughter. "H-hey, Padme…" he greeted her, _clearly_ as embarrassed by the situation as she was.

Keeping her eyes trained on the ground, because she just _couldn_ ' _t_ look at him while he was practically naked, she swallowed thickly. "Ty… t-this is a… surprise."

"Well…um...yeah...see, Dorme and I went out last night, and – well, it was _late_ when we got back, so it was just easier to…y'know…so, I – we…" He stammered, and Padme physically _cringed_. She knew that he and Dorme were sleeping together already, which Padme was totally fine with. Since Padme had introduced them, they'd been dating hot and heavy for the past month, and Dorme had often stayed over at _his_ place during that time. But, this was the first time he'd stayed at _their_ apartment, and the surprise of it all caught Padme off guard.

She hadn't been prepared to wake up and walk out into her kitchen this morning to see Tyler in just his _briefs_. After all, Anakin always took care to wear at least a pair of shorts in the common areas of the apartment when he stayed over to avoid just such a _mishap._ And, Padme was still only in her pyjamas – a pair of black and white striped fluffy socks, her grey, knee length yoga leggings and one of Anakin's black V-neck t-shirts that he'd left (she'd _stolen_ ) the last time he'd visited. Her hair was a mess, she hadn't had a shower yet, and she still had sleep crusted in the corners of her eyes. It was _not_ a sight she wanted her best friend's _almost-_ boyfriend to see.

Groaning, she rubbed her eyes and shook her head. "It's alright, Ty...you don't have to explain it to me. I get it. I just…I wasn't expecting to see you in my kitchen this early in the morning, that's all," she muttered grumpily. Though, she couldn't exactly complain. She supposed it was just karma paying her back for all the times she and Anakin had kept Dorme awake with their own loud, late night… _antics_.

"S-sorry," he quickly apologized. "I was just thirsty, and I – I'll just go back to…" He broke off, all flustered and awkward, and flashed her a weak smile. Padme could faintly hear Dorme calling to him in a sultry voice through the door; _"_ _Come back to bed, Baby,_ _"_ and squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head to rid it of the horrific images that had suddenly formed in her mind. Tyler blanched in embarrassment and muttered another quick apology under his breath before hurrying past her back to Dorme's room and shutting the door behind him.

With a shake of her head, Padme decided to check her phone, which was sitting on the kitchen counter near the stove and immediately brightened when she saw a message from Anakin that read: **See you soon babe :)**. It was their thing, to say ' _see you soon_ _'_. Almost a replacement for the words ' _I love you_ _'_ _,_ and they'd used it since they'd first gotten together, just before Padme had gone back to Harvard for the start of this semester. Padme cherished those little messages more than anything – and she'd saved quite a few of them over the past few months. They were simple and spoke of how hard their relationship was, and yet how much he truly loved her.

Echoing his sentiment, she sent back a reply: **See you soon baby :) have a safe flight.** She then took her charger back into her room and packed it in her suitcase along with her laptop. It was a little excessive, taking such an enormous bag with her for only five days, but Padme was nothing if not organized. She took pride in being prepared for anything, even if it meant she had to pay extra for baggage on her flight, because it gave her comfort. Anakin would make fun of her for it, she knew, but she didn't care. They were complete opposites in that sense – _he_ preferring to go with the flow and be spontaneous, whereas Padme liked structure, but it was also why they worked so _well_ together.

By the time Padme had finally showered, finished packing, gotten dressed, and returned to the kitchen for breakfast and coffee, Dorme and Tyler were both up and awake. Padme was pleased to see that he was now fully clothed in a black singlet and grey sweatpants that had elastic around the ankles, but she was also surprised to see him actually _making_ breakfast.

And, Padme _had_ to admit, as she took an appreciative whiff of the air, he apparently could cook really _well,_ too _._ Looking at her roommate, Padme was amused to see Dorme, however, looking barely awake, still clad in her lacy boy short panties and long sleeved blue t-shirt that she'd obviously slept in. She looked up at her from where she was sitting at the counter, long bare legs drawn up to her chin, nursing her coffee almost reverently between her palms. "Mornin'."

Padme grinned at her, shaking her head at how weary her roommate looked. "Good morning. You look tired. Have a late night?" She didn't miss the secretive look Dorme and Tyler shared with each other and instantly regretted her choice of question as her roommate smirked, "Something like that." Was _that_ what it was like for Dorme when Anakin was around? If so, Padme groaned, gaining a whole new perspective.

"You want some breakfast? Ty's cooking…what is it again, Babe?" Dorme asked over her shoulder.

"Corn and zucchini fritters with poached eggs, spinach and avocado salsa," he announced proudly, twisting his head to give Padme a bright, smug smile.

Padme stared at him with wide eyes. He was making _what?_ "Wow. That sounds…healthy."

Groaning, Dorme gave Padme a grimace. "I _know_ ," she complained. "I had _no_ idea that when he said he'd cook breakfast, he meant _this._ I was expecting pancakes or bacon and eggs, y'know? Something actually _nice_." Dorme shot Padme an unimpressed frown, making her chuckle.

Behind her, Tyler just clicked his tongue. "Those are full of sugar and fat, Babe. This is _much_ better for you. Trust me."

Dorme rolled her eyes and smirked. " _This_ is what happens when you date an athlete," she explained dramatically in a mock-serious tone. "They're _so_ friggin' health conscious! He freaked out this morning when he couldn't have his protein shake or whatever the hell it is, because he stayed _here_. Didn't ya, Babe?" Dorme rolled her head toward Tyler and arched both of her eyebrows at him.

Tyler turned around and began serving out breakfast, a scowl on his face. "Watch your mouth, missy, or you can simply get nothing, and Padme and I will just have breakfast together." He gave her a pointed look.

Grinning, Dorme batted her eyes at him. "Aw, you wouldn't do that to _me_ would you, Baby?" she simpered, flashing him her best _puppy dog eyes_ look that made Padme smirk, and Tyler practically _melted_.

Still, he covered it well and met her gaze with a frown. "I don't know if you really deserve _this_ ," he teased, withholding her plate from her. Dorme pouted and made grabby hands. "But, since I'm _such_ a nice guy, I'll let you off with a warning... _this_ time," he shot a knowing wink at Padme. When he placed it in front of her, Dorme beamed and leaned across the counter to kiss his cheek gently.

"Thank you, Baby."

The interaction between the two of them made Padme smile. She was so happy that things were working out with them, seeing as _she_ was the one who had brought them together. Dorme deserved someone who genuinely cared about her, after all the confusion and carelessness she'd been subjected to over the years. The whole time they'd been friends, Dorme had never had an actual boyfriend. She'd dated before, and then there was Trey, but she'd never been in a _real_ relationship. It filled Padme with a deep sense of pride to know that she might _finally_ get that chance with Tyler, and she couldn't have been happier for her best friend.

The three of them sat down at the dining table and began to eat breakfast and even though Padme had never eaten anything like it before, she couldn't deny that it was delicious. When they were done, Dorme announced that she was going to have a shower, leaving Tyler and Padme to clean up the dishes. Initially, there was a little awkwardness between the two of them, given what had happened earlier in the morning, but Padme soon recovered and decided to break the silence.

"You two seem happy," she remarked casually, as she dried off the frying pan with a tea towel.

He looked up and gave her what was probably one of the sweetest, most adorable smiles Padme had _ever_ seen on his face. "Y-yeah! We – we are! Well, _I_ am, at least…Dorme's just so…" he broke off with a dopey expression on his face. "She's _incredible!_ I've never met any girl like her before."

Hearing him talk so fondly about her best friend made Padme flush with happiness, and she had to stop herself from throwing her arms around Tyler in a massive hug. It was about time someone else thought her roommate was as amazing as Padme thought she was. "Yeah, she's one of a kind, that one."

Tyler chuckled and continued washing up, with Padme drying everything and putting it all back in the cupboards. "Padme…" he said softly, almost unsurely, and she turned around to face him. There was an unusual expression on his face, as though he was nervous, and she was a little concerned for him. "I think I'm in love with her."

"Oh, _Ty_ _…_ "

"Don't say anything though, okay?" he pleaded frantically. "It's too early to tell her that, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't feel the same way yet. But…yeah…" he muttered, adorably sheepish, and all Padme could do was beam widely at him.

"I won't say a word. _Promise_."

Dorme reappeared moments later, showered, dressed and looking a whole lot more awake than she was earlier. She caught the looks Padme and Tyler kept throwing at each other and raised her eyebrows suspiciously, but when she asked them what was wrong, they both just shrugged their shoulders nonchalantly.

Then, to soothe her worries, Tyler approached her, hand on her waist, and pecked her softly on her lips. "I'm gonna get going, Babe. Got some stuff to do today, but I'll see you tonight, yeah?"

Dorme nodded with a bright smile and squeezed his hand. "Yeah."

Bidding Padme a good trip home, he then headed back to Dorme's room to change quickly and grab his stuff before heading out the door, shooting Dorme a wink before it closed behind him. Padme chuckled at the dopey look on Dorme's face and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and double check that she'd brought everything she needed for her trip home. Grabbing her woollen pea coat, her scarf and cream beanie, plus her purse, she then left the apartment and dragged her _enormous_ suitcase out to the rickety old elevator, taking it down to the basement of their apartment building, where Dorme's car was parked.

It was an old VW Bug, a pale blue colour that was in need of a new paint job and the air conditioning didn't work, but Dorme couldn't be bothered getting it fixed, or even getting a new car. When Anakin had been visiting last, he'd offered to fix it for her for free the next time he visited and had two working arms again, which Padme had thought was a very sweet and generous offer. He was a _genius_ with machines, particularly cars, from all of his work with Obi-wan when he was a teenager. But, until then, Dorme just had to put up with a faulty vehicle. It was alright _now_ , because it was still a bit nippy, but once summer arrived, a car without air conditioning would be absolutely awful.

As they drove to the airport, Padme decided to pick her best friend's brain about her budding relationship. She couldn't help it – she was solely invested in the whole thing, and she was curious by nature. "So, how are things with you and Ty?"

She didn't miss the flush that immediately decorated Dorme's cheeks at her question or the shy smile that pulled at her lips. "They're… _good,_ " she supplied, eyes firmly fixed on the road.

"Just good?" Padme arched an eyebrow. "C'mon. You've gotta give me more than that!"

Rolling her eyes, Dorme smirked impishly. "Well, if you _really_ want to know, it's the best sex I've ever had in my life."

Padme blanched, squeezing her eyes shut again for the _second_ time that morning at her best friend's candour. "Oh my god! _Too_ much information there! Tyler's my _friend_ , too, remember?"

Laughing, Dorme just shook her head. "You _asked!_ Seriously, though, it's… _nice._ He actually _plans_ things for us to do. And, he _cares_ about me. I mean, how often do you get a guy who can fuck you six ways to Sunday and then make you breakfast in the morning?"

Padme smiled and reached over to give her friend's hand a squeeze in support. "I'm glad you're happy. It's about time a guy actually _appreciated_ you."

"When did you realize you were in love with Anakin?"

The question took Padme by surprise. She wasn't exactly sure _when_ she'd fallen in love with Anakin, because she'd denied her feelings for weeks and weeks over that summer before they'd officially gotten together. "I don't really know," she confessed honestly. "It just... _happened_. He grew on me slowly, and then, I suppose, it just sort of clicked. Why?"

Dorme shook her head. "Dunno. Just wanted to know. I mean, you left last summer without any intention of finding a boyfriend, and when you returned, you were suddenly madly in love."

Smiling at the memory of that fateful summer, the summer that had changed _everything_ , Padme merely shrugged. "It just happened." Then, on a second thought, she added, "Do you love Tyler?"

Her friend paused and chewed on her bottom lip in thought. "Maybe? I don't _know_. We haven't really known each that long. I mean, we're just seeing where it goes, y'know? But I...I _like_ him. A lot. A _whole_ lot."

They shared a knowing smile, and _oh_ how Padme dearly wanted to tell her what Tyler had confessed in the kitchen earlier that morning. But, she'd promised him she'd keep it a secret, so she held her tongue, no matter that it was eating her up inside. Was it really so bad that she just wanted Dorme and Tyler to fall in love and get married and have adorable babies? She certainly didn't think so. There was also the prospect of the four of them going out and doing things together; her and Anakin, Dorme and Tyler, two couples that were also good friends, and that _certainly_ excited her. She and Dorme were best friends, she and Tyler got on pretty well, and she just _knew_ that Tyler and Anakin would be two peas in a pod...they were _so similar_ it was almost scary.

"I'm sorry about what happened this morning. Ty told me…" Dorme apologized sincerely.

Laughing good-naturedly, Padme just shook her head. "It's not a problem. He's welcome to stay over any time. It was just a…shock, that's all. I wasn't expecting to see him...and in such a state of _dishabille_." She said with a smirk.

Dorme nodded. "I was going to tell you, but it was a last minute thing, and by the time we got home, you were already asleep, and I didn't want to wake you…"

Padme brushed her off with a casual wave of her hand. "Dorme, it's _totally_ fine. Honestly. And, if he wants to stay over while I'm gone, that's absolutely okay. Go for it."

The wide smile her friend gave her in response to her offer made Padme grin. She remembered what it was like to be in _that_ stage of a relationship; where everything was new and exciting and light. Of course, she and Anakin were _still_ in that stage sometimes, the distance and time apart saw to that, but things were more comfortable now between them. Less exciting and more... _natural_. Dorme often joked that it was like they were a married couple already, the way they acted around each other, and whilst Padme scoffed at the idea, she couldn't help but _think_ about it.

Marriage was something she saw _way_ into the future. Something that would happen when they'd _both_ graduated and settled down, both gotten careers and had established lives for themselves. Perhaps it was because she was going to be attending a wedding, but her mind had suddenly been occupied by these thoughts. They weren't ready, Padme knew that. They hadn't even been together for a year yet, and even when she _did_ graduate, Anakin would still be at school. Nonetheless, it was nice to think about; waking up every morning next to Anakin and going to bed beside him every night, building a home and a life together, having children and raising a family. And, of course, the thought of taking Anakin's name, of showing the world that she was _his_ and he was _hers_ , thrilled her to no end.

 _Anakin and Padme Skywalker._

It sounded nice, _right_ , and any time Padme thought about it, her insides would quiver excitedly. Though it was a long way off, Padme couldn't _wait_ to marry Anakin. She just _knew_ it was her future.

When they arrived at the airport, Dorme wished her a safe flight and told her to ' _stop stressing about study and just enjoy this break with your man, okay,_ ' to which Padme rolled her eyes, but laughed anyway. She thanked her friend for driving her, and then lugged her suitcase inside the airport and went to check in. Luckily, she'd arrived early, and decided to go and grab a coffee from one of those little over-priced airport cafés, sat down at a little table and decided to text Anakin again. **Hi Baby. Checked in. Flight on time. See you soon. :)**

As she settled down and pulled out her copy of _Anna Karenina_ from her carry-on luggage to amuse herself while she waited to board, her phone buzzed. Checking it, she smiled. It was from Anakin: **Great! Got a surprise for you! Love you Babe. ;)**

Her flight was still running on time, and the time passed quickly, and before she knew it, she was landing in Minneapolis and disembarking. Jobal was waiting for her by the baggage carousel, and Padme beamed when she noticed her, hurrying towards her. The two engaged in a fierce embrace, the world stilling around them. It had been too long since Padme had last seen her mother, and even though they called each other once a week, it was nothing compared to face-to-face communication.

As they pulled away, Padme noticed the tears swimming in her mother's eyes and smiled. She had _always_ been the emotional one in the family – a vast contrast to her father's prickly, and sometimes cold, personality. As Padme glanced over her mother, she noticed how _different_ she looked. Her brown hair was cut in a stylish bob, and she was dressed rather fashionably in a pair of dark jeans and a cream, woollen coat. But, it was her demeanour which was the _most_ different. There was this air of joy and happiness about her that Padme hadn't seen in a very long time. She radiated _light._ The last time she'd seen Jobal _this_ happy was when she was a little girl, and the sight made her grin with pride. Obviously, her parents' rekindled relationship was having dramatic effects on _both_ parties.

The skin around her eyes crinkled as her mother placed her hands on Padme's shoulders, squeezing them softly. They were of a similar height and build with each other, but the way Jobal was looking at her made Padme feel like she was fourteen again. "It's _so_ _good_ to see you again, Darling," Jobal told her affectionately.

"You too, Mom."

"How have you been?" Her mother asked as they retrieved Padme's suitcase and walked together out to where the car was parked.

"Stressed," Padme laughed, dryly, a deep sigh slipping past her lips. The past month had _really_ taken its toll on her wellbeing; both mentally and physically, and she was _more_ than grateful for the break. Of course, it wouldn't be long enough, and once she returned to Harvard, her immense workload would pick right back up again. The light at the end of the tunnel – her graduation – was only a couple more months away, and Padme was _determined_ to keep herself together until that moment.

Jobal echoed her thoughts, "It's not long now, Darling. You'll be graduated soon!"

The thought brought a smile to Padme's lips. "I _know!_ " she exclaimed. "I can't believe it."

They reached the car, and Jobal helped Padme lug her suitcase into the boot – because it _was_ rather heavy – and then the two of them drove off back home, paying the parking fee as they went. "What are you going to do with all of your spare time?" Jobal teased with a smirk.

Rolling her eyes, Padme groaned. "Find a job, I suppose. Or, maybe I'll just take a year off and travel or something. I've always wanted to do that!"

"And, _how_ does Anakin fit into all of this?" her mother asked, twisting her head to give her a pointed look.

Padme sighed, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. It was a dilemma that she thought about constantly. How _did_ Anakin fit into her life plan? He was a major part of her life, and she loved him more than anything. But, he was still at school, and would be for the next few years. What was _she_ supposed to do while she waited for him to graduate? The simple solution would be to just move to Chicago and find a job there somewhere. She was a Harvard graduate; it shouldn't be _too_ hard. But, Padme was ambitious. Maybe it made her selfish, but she didn't want to limit herself or her career aspirations just because she was waiting around for Anakin to finish his degree. There were things she wanted to do with her life; things she wanted to see, to accomplish, and Anakin would be a barrier to most of those things.

Then, of course, there was the issue of their relationship. Padme had dreamed of travelling and exploring the world for years, before Anakin had even come back into her life, and she worried that, if she decided to _do_ that, he wouldn't cope. The long distance was torture enough for him _now_ ; his behaviour towards Clovis had proved that much.

He needed her. _Desperately._

What would happen to him if she wasn't there to ground him, to support him? Padme hoped that his therapy would help him, that he would be _fine,_ that their relationship would survive, but a small part of her was concerned that it would _ruin_ him. He was _far_ too dependent on her, much more so than she was of him.

Moving to Chicago would be the best thing to do for Anakin, but would it be the best thing for _her?_ She hated long distance as much as he did, and missed him terribly when they were apart, but Padme wasn't the type of girl to put her life on hold just for a man. Even if that man was the love of her life. She wanted a career; she wanted to be able to look after and take care of herself, to be successful. All her life she had lived under the protective umbrella of her father's name and money. Padme wanted to come into her _own_ success, make her _own_ name. In many ways, her mother was right. She _was_ her father's daughter.

But then, of course, she wanted to be with Anakin, too. She _wanted_ to eventually marry him one day, to raise a family with him, to build a life with him. Seeking a career could jeopardize that future. Groaning, Padme put her head in her hands, despairingly. _Why_ was everything so complicated? Her relationship with Anakin had put a huge rift in her perfect plan, and as sweet a rift as it was (the sweetest Padme had ever had), it made her future unknown.

And the unknown was Padme's biggest, most terrible, fear.

"I'm not sure, yet," Padme answered truthfully. "We've got to talk about things. About the future."

"I know you'll work things out, Padme. But, I _would_ like some more grandkids. I'm not getting any younger, you know."

Padme guffawed at her mother's not-so-subtle hint, her face flushing hotly. " _Mom!_ We're not even married yet. I mean, we've not even really _talked_ about marriage."

Jobal just chuckled, a cheeky smirk on her face. "I know, Dear, I was just teasing you."

Deciding to give her a taste of her own medicine, Padme grinning wickedly and crossed her arms. "How are you and Dad?"

It was Jobal's turn to blush, and she coughed in embarrassment. "We're… _fine._ "

The sight made Padme laugh, pleased with her payback. If she got her ambition from her father, she _definitely_ got her curiosity from her mother. They were both as bad as each other in that aspect. "Have you seen each other since Christmas?"

"No," Jobal replied instantly. "We keep in touch via email, and the occasional phone call, you know. But…" she broke off, suddenly looking twenty years younger than her age. "We are planning to go away together in a few weekend's time. It's – _was_ – our anniversary…when we were married…"

Padme had to physically stop herself from giggling at the thought, because it was one of the _sweetest_ things she'd ever heard. The upcoming wedding was obviously affecting her brain, because she suddenly had a vision of her and Sola walking their mother down the aisle in that cute little church where Shmi and Cliegg had gotten married, and her parents' exchanging vows and…she bit her tongue before she got carried away.

Instead, she just reached over to give Jobal's hand a supportive squeeze. "That's wonderful, Mom. I'm glad you're happy."

Jobal smiled warmly at her. "Thank you, Darling."

The trip home was quicker than Padme had expected. As they drove past Anakin's house, she saw his garage open and smiled. He was home. Dragging her suitcase upstairs to her bedroom, she began to unpack her things, until she heard the familiar sound of Anakin working outside.

Curiously, she peered out of her window, reminiscent of that first time she'd come back home in the summer last year, to see him tinkering with his robot project; C3P0. The sight surprised her a little, because she'd _almost_ forgotten how truly talented he was, and how he'd built and designed a humanoid robot before he'd even gotten to college. She admired him for a moment, watching appreciatively as he raked his oil-covered hands through his _slightly_ longer hair and rolled up the sleeves of his long-sleeved t-shirt, exposing his well-defined arms. _God_ , he was so beautiful to watch; she could have done it for hours.

It was then she realized with a jolt that Anakin was using both of his arms. _Both._ His cast was gone! And, from the way he was crouched and bent over, it made Padme realize his _ribs_ must have healed too! A tremor of lustful anticipation fluttered through her at the knowledge, and suddenly, all she wanted to do was throw herself at him and feel his hands – _both of them_ – all over her body, touching her in ways he hadn't for so, so long.

A secretive smirk on her face, she hurried downstairs, determined to get _exactly_ what she wanted.

She wasn't the only one in for a surprise.


	35. Chapter 35

_**A/N: Okay, so I'm officially ruining my future by pumping out more and more chapters of this story, but inspiration has hit and I just can't stop myself (I'm sorry, university degree). *Just kidding, I am actually studying... my 3000 word lit review won't write itself, you know***_

 _ **This story is kinda my focus at the moment, because it's SOOO CLOSE to being finished, and so to anyone who reads my other stories, I apologise, but I won't be updating them much for a while. Sorry if that is inconvenient, but that's just how the cookie crumbles xD**_

 ** _Hope you enjoy! xx_**

 ** _P.S: The next chapter will be from Anakin's POV, which I know some of you have been keen for :)_**

* * *

Somehow, and honestly, she didn't really _know_ how, Anakin could sense her approaching, because he lifted his head and straightened up as soon as she appeared at the entry of his garage. A wild, gorgeous smile broke out across his face as he regarded her, and he stood and wiped his hands on the front of his old jeans, cleaning them of the oil and grease.

"Padme!"

Beaming at him, she opened her arms to him, whispering his name as reverently as a prayer. "Anakin."

Before she could even process it, he strode towards her, wrapped her up in his strong arms and drew her mouth to his in a mind-numbing kiss that left Padme feeling breathless and wanting more. She sighed contentedly into his kiss, once again feeling complete as their mouths fused together in a blissful familiarity that was _oh_ so sweet. Her hands came up to rest on his shoulders, and she reached up on her toes, as his caressed the sides of her face tenderly, angling her mouth towards his.

It was in moments like this that she realized just how _very_ much she'd missed the feel of his lips against hers, warm and gentle and infinitely soft, the taste of him as his tongue slipped into her mouth, dancing with her own in such an intimately familiar way. Kissing Anakin was unlike _anything_ else in the world, and Padme would have been content to remain in his embrace for hours on end, just kissing like that.

He broke away reluctantly, lips still touching hers as though he couldn't bear to part from her _just_ yet, and he stared straight into her eyes with those exquisite pools of blue. "I've missed you _so_ much, Angel," he murmured softly before seizing her lips once more and preventing her from speaking. Not that Padme minded all that much. What was there to talk about that she couldn't express with her mouth in a much more _enjoyable_ way?

With that mindset, she surrendered willingly to Anakin's possessive kiss, feeling him trail his hands down her spine to cup her backside, before effectively lifting her up. Her jean encased legs wrapped around his trim waist instinctively, and he walked them over to his work bench, reaching down with his left hand to clear off the clutter that covered the top with a sweep of his forearm, whilst still holding her up with his other, before setting her down, grinding his hips forward against hers, never breaking their kiss the entire time.

Padme could only marvel at his stamina and strength. She revelled in his _obvious_ desire. In that moment, she didn't _care_ that his hands were dirty as they ran all over her body, or that he was sweaty and smelled like grease. It was a heady mixture, intoxicating her senses, and it only amplified his blatantly _raw_ masculinity, intensifying her own arousal. All that mattered was _Anakin_ and the wonderful sensations he was causing within her.

As he devoured her mouth with a rumbling growl, she felt a wellspring of wanton lust pool between her thighs. Padme reached up with her arms and delighted in sliding her hands through his hair. It had grown a little longer since she'd last seen him a month ago, which pleased her immensely. She'd always _loved_ his hair and had been quite upset when he'd cut it off last Christmas. There was just something about the way it had framed his face, the way it naturally curled at the ends as it brushed the bottom of his neck, that aroused her to no end, and she made a mental note to voice her approval once he relinquished control of her mouth. Instead, she expressed her approval physically, twining the thick golden locks between her fingers and tugging roughly, eliciting another low, lustful growl from deep within his chest.

It was only once his hands began to wander, slipping underneath the hem of her sweater and sliding across her bare skin that she summoned the willpower to push him away. "Anakin… not here," she giggled, earning her a petulant scowl.

His large hands gripped her hips firmly, and she could distinctly feel the evidence of his arousal pressing against her through his jeans. "Why not?" he almost _whined,_ as he slid his lips along her jawline, dusting her skin with little kisses and nips that made her mewl despite herself. Her reactions made him smirk against her skin, and she could only roll her eyes at his smugness.

"Because," she remained firm, pulling away from him a little and giving him a pointed look. "Your garage is open. Anyone could walk by and see us." She gestured toward the open garage door with a nod of her head.

Anakin flicked his eyes over to the entrance way, and she could visibly see him tossing the risks over in his head, before he pouted in defeat. "Fine. You're right. Not here."

With a soft laugh, Padme took his face in her hands and caressed his cheekbones with her thumbs, gazing up at him with loving affection. "I've missed you too, Ani. So much."

He sighed and rested his forehead against hers, keeping his hands still on her hips, rubbing small circles on her stomach with his thumbs. Then, suddenly, he fell forward, face burrowing into her shoulder and his arms constricted around her, pulling her torso flush against him, so tight he was almost crushing her. Padme continued to stroke his hair lovingly, a faint smile on her face, eyes closed contentedly. They stayed like that for quite some time, simply basking in each other's presence. It was a precious moment, and she savoured it. Padme had missed holding him in her arms like this, in feeling _his_ wrapped around her in that fiercely protective way he has. He made her feel so _cherished..._ so _loved._

Now, she was truly _home._

"Working hard, I see," she said with a proud smile, glancing toward his pet project, C3PO, and he lifted his head, eyes sparkling with playful delight.

"Yeah," he shrugged. "I was just recalibrating some things. I realized I'd wired him all wrong – I guess college is good for something, right?" He winked at her, all smug and over confident, and Padme rolled her eyes, but changed the subject.

" _And,_ you're growing your hair out again, Baby."

He smirked and raised an eyebrow. "You don't approve?"

Shaking her head, she smiled and gave his thick curls a playful tug, carding her fingers through his hair fondly. "Quite the opposite, actually," she remarked. "I liked it when you had longer hair. That _and_ your motorbike… _whew!"_ she grinned coquettishly at him, faking a swoon. " _Every_ girl secretly wants a bad boy, Ani."

Her comment clearly took him by surprise, for he arched both his eyebrows, blue eyes flashing with mirth. "Oh, _really?_ I thought you hated my motorbike?"

Padme shrugged her shoulders, dropping her hands lower so they were splayed around his neck, playing idly with the locks of hair at his nape. "I hated riding it, yes. But, just the fact that you _had_ one…" her voice broke off suggestively, and Anakin grinned wolfishly, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

"Well, in _that_ case, I just might have to buy it back. To, y'know, fulfil your ' _bad boy'_ fantasy," he whispered, as he waggled his eyebrows mockingly, causing Padme to rap him sharply on the shoulder, eyes rolling at his dramatics.

"Oh, shut up," she pursed her lips together to try and keep a straight face when really, all she wanted to do was laugh.

"You still haven't noticed my surprise," he reminded her.

Padme slid his hands down his shoulders and arms, rubbing them gently. "Oh no, I've definitely noticed," she said coyly, blinking up at him through her lashes. "I'm just waiting."

"Waiting for what, Babe?"

Her tongue snuck out to wet her lips, voice dripping with intent. "For you to show me what you're going to do with me now you've got _both_ your arms back again."

Instantly, his eyes darkened lustfully, and he swooped down to kiss her again, _hard_ , knocking the breath out of her. He kissed her until her lips were bruised, swollen, and sore, and then made his away along her jaw towards her ear, biting at her earlobe none to gently before bathing it with his tongue. "My pleasure," he whispered in a rough, husky voice, as he trailed the tip of his tongue around the outside shell of her ear.

Releasing her, he stepped back, picked her up, and placed her back down on her feet, before taking her hand in his firmly and pulling her along with him as he made his way back inside his house. On their way, they ran into Shmi in the front hallway, who eyed the two of them with a bemused expression on her face. Padme blushed fiercely and muttered a weak greeting, "Oh, hi, Shmi. It's nice to see you again."

Shmi smiled kindly at her. "Hello, Padme. It's good to see you, too, Dear. How are you?"

Beside her, Anakin exhaled impatiently, but Padme dug her nails into his skin in warning. "Wonderful, thank you," she replied politely. "I've been busy with school, but it's nice to have a break and be back home."

The woman nodded her head sympathetically. Padme noticed how _tired_ she looked, and how her head was now covered in a brightly coloured scarf – no doubt a result of the chemo she was currently undertaking which resulted in hair loss, and felt a stab of pity deep in her chest. It truly wasn't fair for someone as wonderful and kind as Shmi to have been dealt such unfortunate circumstances. After everything she'd been through in her life, Padme sincerely hoped that everything would turn out alright in the end.

"Yes, Ani's told me about your workload. I hope you take the time to really relax this trip, Dear. We don't want you to burn out this close to graduation," she said kindly. "Anyway, Cliegg and I are off to join Owen and Beru. It's their rehearsal dinner tonight and Cliegg is the MC. I'll see you tomorrow, Sweetheart. Have a good night." She stepped up to Anakin and kissed his cheek, which he returned, telling his mother goodnight, before she did the same to Padme, then headed out the door to join her husband waiting out in the car.

As soon as she'd left, Anakin shot Padme a feral grin, and then took back her hand firmly, tugging her along behind him as he practically raced up the stairs, clearly eager for a _proper_ reunion with his girlfriend, to which she had absolutely no objections whatsoever.

Once they were locked inside Anakin's bedroom, Padme fixed him with a sultry glance, flicking her chestnut tresses over her shoulder suggestively. Her hooded eyes raked over his healed form hungrily, and she licked her lips. He caught her wandering gaze and raised his eyebrows in question, which she responded to by stepping closer to him, closing the gap between them, and placing her hands on his chest. His own settled on her waist, his thumbs rubbing gently up and down her sides.

"How are your ribs?" she asked, her voice low and husky with unbridled lust. It had been far too long since they'd had sex… _properly_ , and it was _all_ Padme could think about. He was _hers,_ and she _wanted_ him _._

 **Now.**

Anakin grinned down at her knowingly, understanding her meaning and whispered, "All healed."

"Good."

She wrapped her hands around his neck and yanked him aggressively towards her mouth, attacking him with surprising fervour, which he eagerly returned. Her hands began to roam, slipping down his back to push his t-shirt up his torso, dancing her fingers along his strong back. Anakin groaned into her mouth at her touch and shifted his hands lower to cup her backside, pulling her hips flush against his. Feeling the evidence of his arousal pressed against her thrilled her to no end, and she ground her hips against his, eliciting another moan from him.

"Ani…" she breathed against his lips as she pulled away, yanking his shirt further up, and he bent and lifted his arms so she could remove it properly and toss it to the floor. " _Fuck me_."

His gorgeous blue eyes widened at her vulgar language, which she normally _never_ used, and he paused, staring down at her in awe, jaw slack. " _What_ …?"

With a coy smile, she trailed her index finger slowly down his muscled chest and flat abdomen, circling his navel before descending lower, ghosting through the line of fine blonde hair trailing down his belly with her fingernail and teased the top of his jeans, feeling the fine tremors in his skin as she did so. "I want you to _fuck_ _me_ ," she repeated, slower than before, enunciating each word clearly. "I _need_ you, Ani. It's been too long. I don't want you to be gentle."

He swallowed once nervously, then quickly regained his senses with a shake of his head, as an animalistic growl issued from his lips, and then he was kissing her, hard, _rough_ , melding their mouths and tongues, teeth scraping together, tugging at her clothes frantically as though he couldn't wait a _second_ longer to be without her. They broke apart only to remove the rest of their clothes, which they tossed haphazardly across the floor, their breathing heavy and ragged.

Then, with a wicked grin, his eyes almost black with lust, he motioned behind her with a flick of his wrist. "Get on the bed, Angel. Hands and knees."

Her eyes widened momentarily at his request, knowing _exactly_ what he was insinuating, and her blood pulsed wildly with anticipation, suffusing her body with _heat,_ at the thought of what was going to happen next. _Anakin_ was in control now. It was _his_ turn to have his way with _her_ , and she definitely wasn't going to stop him. The way he'd expressed his demand had her more aroused than anything, and her wet core involuntarily clenched tightly as a sensual shudder trembled down her spine, her nipples hardening instantly into rosy pointed peaks.

Nodding her head in assent, she wet her lips once more, then turned around, seductively tossed her long curly mane down her bare back, and crawled onto his bed, just the way he'd told her to. It was then she noticed that his old twin bed had been replaced with a larger, queen sized bed with crisp white cotton sheets and a new navy blue comforter, and she grinned with further excitement. They could now _sleep_ together at his house, _properly,_ without being squashed and uncomfortable.

But, she didn't have much time to think about that, because suddenly, there was a tearing sound of a condom being opened and then Anakin stepped up behind her, his calloused hands resting on the feminine dip of her waist. He leaned over her, sliding his hands up and down her sides, and Padme could feel his erection, hard and throbbing, pressed against her backside. It sent tendrils of intense pleasure shooting down her spine.

With gentle fingers, he swept her hair to the side, draping it across her left shoulder, exposing her neck, and ghosted his warm breath over her ivory skin, making the tiny hairs on her nape stand at attention, as a sudden tremor wracked her frame, goosebumps breaking out all over her back and chest. Her nipples hardened further, begging to be fondled. Another delicious shudder shook through her body. He was being _too_ soft, _too_ gentle, taking _far_ too long, when all she wanted was for him to surge inside her powerfully, dominantly, and _take_ her ruthlessly, aggressively, claiming her completely as _his_. Now was _not_ the time for slow sweet lovemaking.

An impatient whimper slipped past her lips when he began to kiss the back of her neck softly, and he hummed a laugh, his lips vibrating against her skin.

" _Ani_ …" she sighed, twisting her head back to look at him over her shoulder. The smug half-smirk on his face was infuriating, as was the mischief dancing in his eyes, and she pouted, biting her plump lower lip in frustration. " _Please_ … just…"

In response, he pressed his chest more firmly against her back and slipped his hands down to fill with the curves of her hips, rubbing his thumbs across the dimples in her lower back. "Please _what?"_ he asked softly, lips at her ear, his breath hot and heavy.

She bucked her hips back a little, desperate for some sort of friction and clenched her fists in his white sheets. " _Don't tease me_ ," she hissed.

One of his hands snuck up her stomach to cup a breast, long, calloused fingers tugging on the hardened peak of her nipple in an exquisitely delicious pain that made her arch her back, pressing herself more firmly into his warm palm. His other hand dipped lower between her legs, swiping across her wetness eagerly, gathering it on his fingertips.

"You're so wet for me, Angel," he hummed, mouthing wetly at the skin between her shoulder blades, and traced soft circles over her engorged clit, making her legs shake. "You want it, don't you?"

Her head fell forward on a whimper and she pushed her hips back again, grinding herself against his hardened length, feeling his nest of curls brushing softly against the skin of her ass. It was torture, what he was doing to her, but she supposed she deserved it.

"Answer me, Padme," he growled firmly, drawing his hand back from between her legs to rap her sharply once on her backside. It didn't hurt, but the surprise of it made her jolt, a high gasp issuing from her parted lips. "Tell me you want it."

She was literally _dripping_ with arousal – she could feel it moist on her inner thighs. Her neglected clit was erect and throbbing, begging to be touched, but she couldn't find the strength to do it herself. Anakin had never spanked her before. Padme had never expressed any interest in that sort of thing; that was _Dorme's_ territory. And yet, despite her strong beliefs, she couldn't deny that she _liked_ it in this moment. There was something highly _arousing_ about Anakin treating her like this; it ignited something dark and primal inside her that she'd never felt before, but it excited her all the same.

He did it again, and this time Padme actually _moaned_ , fists clenching tightly as a bolt of white-hot pleasure surged through her, her core clenching reflexively. "Answer me," he demanded roughly in her ear, biting at her earlobe with his teeth.

"… _Yes…_ " she uttered softly, her voice strained with lust.

"Yes, what?" Anakin pressed harder against her, gripping her hips tightly.

"I want it, Ani," she repeated. "I want _you. Please_ …"

He dropped a kiss to her shoulder and hummed, "Good girl," before easing himself inside her, bringing his groin completely flush against her backside as he buried himself within her wet heat. Padme bit her lip to stifle a moan and arched her back, pushing her hips back against his at the feeling of him inside her. It was like nothing else in the world – she felt full, _complete_. Anakin always felt so, _so_ good.

True to her will, he was anything _but_ gentle. Each rapidly brutal spike of his hips caused her body to thrust forward violently, her breasts swaying like pendulums with the force of his movements, and all she could do was grip his sheets tightly in her fists to maintain her balance. His hands were tight on her hips, supporting her, his fingers dug sharply into her hip bones as he repeatedly snapped his hips forward, pulling her ass back sharply to meet his thrusting groin each time. Padme vaguely wondered why they'd never done it this way before, because it felt _so_ good, and in this position, he was slamming against her pleasure spot again and again, and she knew she wouldn't last much longer. The pleasure was building already, _so quickly_ , and it finally bubbled to the surface and boiled over.

She was so overwhelmed by the _raw_ fervency of sensation that she couldn't even scream – her eyes squeezed shut, mouth flying open silently as white hot pleasure surged throughout her body. It was so powerful that it was a miracle she could still keep herself upright. Anakin paused in his thrusting, as she rode out her orgasm. He leaned over her back, reaching around her with both hands to palm her breasts, plucking and tugging at her nipples, muttering in her ear, "That's it, Angel... _fuck_...feels _so_ good..."

But, delicious though it was, Anakin, it seemed, was _not_ finished with her. She'd barely had time to recover from her orgasm, before he started thrusting again, deeper, harder inside her. The wet sounds of flesh slapping together and her own breathless moans coupled with his heavy breathing became the obscene accompaniment to their passionate lovemaking. Padme was almost blind with pleasure as Anakin fucked her – because it _was_ fucking. There was _nothing_ gentle about this at all, and for the first time in her life, Padme didn't care. It was what she wanted, what she had _craved_ , since Anakin had been injured, and now he was _finally_ having his way with her, taking her roughly, claiming her fiercely, leaving her in no doubt she was _his._

Leaning over her, he sucked a bruise into the side of her neck and slid his hands up from her waist and down her arms to close his fingers tightly around her wrists. It caused his chest to rest heavily on her back, but she found she enjoyed the weight of him on top of her like this, pressing down on her.

"You're _so good_ for me, Angel...so perfect _...Mine...all mine,_ " he whispered to her, releasing her wrists to place his palms on top of her hands and lacing his fingers through hers, and the sudden romantic gesture made her clench her core tightly around him. His responding groan tickled her ear and she grinned smugly in spite of herself. There was no sound in the world more beautiful to her than the sounds Anakin made when he was inside her. She treasured those little moans more than _anything_.

"Yeah, Ani. _Yours._ "

His tongue lashed out to lick hotly at the shell of her ear. "I love you, Padme. Love you _so_ fucking much."

Before Padme had a chance to echo his sentiment, he pulled back up and pressed a hand firmly between her shoulder blades, effectively causing her chest to fall into the mattress. Folding her forearms under her head, she turned her face to the side against the pillow, mouth open, as her backside rose higher in the air. Anakin's hands returned to her hips automatically, then he was pulling her back into him even more forcefully, his hips hammering faster, surging even _deeper_ inside her with each thrust, stretching her deliciously.

"Fuck, oh _fuck_ ," he cursed from behind her, voice thick and dripping with his own obvious pleasure. "Missed you, Angel. Missed _this_ – so much – "

Padme's eyes fluttered closed as she felt her second orgasm approaching rapidly and could only manage to hum in response. Deep inside her, she could feel him throbbing and twitching, a sure sign that he was about to release, and so, she instinctively constricted her wet walls around him, tightening her grip on his shaft, milking him. Suddenly, they both came, Anakin with a low growling roar, Padme with a soft whimper. He stilled his movements, throwing his head backward and arching his back and hips forward in a tight bow, forcing himself as deep inside her as he could go, his leg muscles quaking, as eruption after eruption burst forth from his cock, and she spasmed violently around him as they both rode out their releases, together.

When Anakin was done, his body relaxed, and he gingerly pulled out of her, quickly cleaned himself off and disposing of the condom, before slumping down next to her on the bed, face up, on his back. Padme stretched out her limbs lazily, body light and pliant and loose, lying on her belly.

 _Bliss._

That was the _only_ way to describe how she was feeling. She couldn't imagine _anything_ else more perfect.

When she eventually mustered the strength to open her eyes, she was met with that bright, clear, cerulean blue she loved so much. Anakin smiled at her tenderly, his face alit with that little post-sex smile she adored, and she couldn't help but return it. He opened his arms and muttered, _"Come here,"_ and she obeyed, shuffling closer to him until she was pressed up against his sweaty chest. His arms came around her, absently stroking her hair, and she nuzzled her face into him, humming contentedly.

"I love you, Ani," she said quietly, and he didn't reply, except for the sweet little kiss he laid on her forehead. But that was all the affirmation she needed. She slid her foot along the ridge of his calf, feeling the course, blonde hairs underneath her own smooth skin, and hitched her leg up to rest over his hipbone, feeling his soft cock under her thigh. Anakin's other hand, the one not carding through her hair, was splayed across his chest, his fingers wrapped around her own, and so Padme laced them together, rubbing her thumb over his knuckles softly. He hummed in response, exhaling deeply through his nose, and Padme smiled to herself. _This_ was what she loved the very most. Just lying with Anakin like this, without worry or care of _life_ interrupting them. It was comfortingly peaceful, as she felt each rise and fall of his chest under her hand with every deep breath he took.

They didn't speak for a while, but Padme relished the silence. Quiet moments like this, even when they _did_ manage to see each other, were hard to come by. There was always an overarching pressure to _do_ something – whether that was study, or go to classes, or even just go out to lunch, or dinner, or the movies. They hardly found time to just do _nothing_ together. It was a welcome change.

"As much as I hate being apart, I _do_ enjoy our reunions, Ani," she mused after a while, releasing his hand and tracing idle patterns along his chest with her index finger.

His body rumbled with his laughter underneath her. "So do I, Angel. I guess absence really _does_ make the heart grow fonder," he chuckled and then pressed his lips once more to her hair and quietly added, "But it could be like this _every_ day, if we lived together."

She hid her emotion at his sweet words with a scoff and rolled her eyes. "Oh, _please_ , Ani. As _if_ you could keep that up every day?"

The pure look of disbelief on his face made her giggle as both of his eyebrows rose up to his hairline. "Excuse me? I _distinctly_ remember telling you that I'm a sex god. Are you suddenly doubting my bedroom prowess?"

She grinned wickedly at him, eyes dancing with mischief. "Absolutely."

It was his turn to roll his eyes, but instead of shooting back a quick remark, he simply held her closer and twisted his head to nuzzle into her hair. "Do you ever think about it?" he asked on a whisper, as he trailed his nose across her forehead in a light caress. "Living together, I mean."

Padme was startled by his sudden question and admission and rolled over onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow. "Of course, Ani. All the time," she smiled sweetly at him.

He followed suit, pushing himself over onto his side, brushing their bodies together from thigh to chest, and resting his hand lightly on the dip of her waist. "Yeah. Me, too. A lot." There was such clear _hope_ shining in his eyes that made her heart clench. Clearly, the upcoming wedding wasn't just affecting _her_. "It'd be nice though, wouldn't it? To be together every day?"

Padme nodded, a bright smile on her face. _God,_ he was so adorable. "Yeah, Ani. It'd be wonderful."

Suddenly, his sweet softness was replaced by a roguish grin, and he commented, "Though, I don't know if I'd _ever_ get a proper night's sleep. You're so restless. Are you fighting an invisible battle every time you close your eyes? It's like you're some kinda nocturnal ninja or something."

She gasped, shock written all over her face. "I am not!"

"Babe, I've woken up with _bruises_ from you kicking me in your sleep."

Padme just huffed petulantly. "Well, _you're_ dead weight. You'll put your arm over me, or your leg, or _both,_ and I can't move you! You're so damn heavy! You squash me down into the mattress!"

"You steal the covers," he shot back instantly, that infuriating smirk still on his face, as though he found teasing her _so_ incredibly amusing, and even though Padme was trying to be annoyed at him, she couldn't help but smile. That playful banter they shared was one of the best parts about their relationship. "The amount of times I've frozen my ass off at night while _you're_ all snuggled up like a pig in a blanket. You're a real cover thief, y'know…" he shook his head, eyes twinkling, mouth twitching.

"At least I don't _snore!_ " she retorted fiercely with a mock scowl. "If I don't fall asleep before you do, then I've got no hope. You're louder than a jackhammer!"

"Oh, _really?_ Well, I'm lucky if I even have enough _room_ in the bed at all. You take up the _entire_ bed and leave me this _tiny_ sliver of room," he pinched his thumb and forefinger together and squinted at his hand to illustrate his point, "I don't know _how_ someone so _small_ can manage to take up an entire queen sized bed. And, if I _dare_ to creep onto _your_ side…" he winked at her, and she hit him playfully in the chest. Suddenly, they both burst out laughing. Then, Anakin caught her hand and pulled her into him, rolling them so she was partially beneath him and planting a searing kiss on her lips, and she was loath to protest.

"Alright…" she sighed in defeat when he broke the kiss. "So, we're _both_ as bad as each other. Maybe we just need a bigger bed, y'know...One we could put a barrier down the middle of...You stay on _your_ side, I'll stay on _mine_ ," she added with a smirk, and Anakin grinned in compliance before shaking his head and grabbing her again and kissing her senseless.

When he pulled back, hovering his lips just over hers, he gave her a pointed look, " _No_ barriers in _our_ bed, Angel."

She looked at the mischievous twinkle in his eyes and giggled, her cheeks blushing. "Speaking of bigger beds, when did you get an upgrade?"

Anakin released her waist and rolled back onto his back, throwing his arms casually behind his head. "A few weeks ago, apparently. Mom decided it was time I traded my twin bed in for something bigger – seeing as _you_ will be staying here with me more often."

"I'm glad she did," Padme nodded appreciatively. "It's _awful_ enough trying to share a twin bed with you in Chicago, let alone _here."_

"Probably because you can't resort to your starfish sleeping habits," Anakin waggled his eyebrows at her, and she cocked an eyebrow at him, frowning. "But, to be fair though, we never really do a lot of sleeping in bed when we're together." His voice turned husky with desire.

"No… that we don't," Padme smirked. She then rose out of bed and began redressing, knowing Anakin was lying back and enjoying the view. As she was pulling up her jeans, she fixed him with a question, "Did you wanna come over for dinner tonight? Mom won't mind. You know how much she loves you."

Anakin nodded enthusiastically, and got up off the bed, still completely naked, and kissed her lips softly. "Sure, Babe. Sounds good. I'm just gonna have a shower. I'll meet you over there, okay?" He smiled and tapped her lightly on her backside before heading to the shower.

She watched him retreat into his bathroom with a wicked grin, eyeing his nude body shamelessly, before throwing her sweater back over her head and smoothing out her sex-messy hair so that she looked at least a little presentable. Of course, her mother was bound to know what they'd been up to, but she didn't want _too_ make it obvious.

When she arrived back home, her mother raised her eyebrows suspiciously upon her entrance and smirked, but didn't say anything. Padme informed her that Anakin was going to join them for dinner, and that she was going to stay with him for the night, and Jobal smiled, nodding her head. That was, until she frowned, eyes narrowing in confusion, and gestured for Padme to come closer.

"What's that on your neck, Padme?"

Suddenly mortified, Padme hand flew to her neck, just under the base of her jaw by her earlobe, where she remembered Anakin sucking and biting at her skin during their passionate reunion. Her face flushed hotly, and she swallowed thickly, as Jobal scrutinised her with a bemused expression on her face. "N-nothing…" she stammered in protest, but her mother just laughed, amusedly shaking her head.

"It's _alright_ , Padme. I _do_ remember what it was like to be young and in love…but, you might want to cover _that_ up before the wedding though." She gestured toward the hickey with a flick of her wrist.

Nodding quickly, and muttering a soft, embarrassed "Of course," she made a mental note to scold Anakin for marking her so close to the wedding, and then hurried upstairs to gather her things she would need to take over to Anakin's that night. It wouldn't be much, but she did like to be prepared.

Anakin came over just after 7 pm, freshly showered, hair still slightly damp, and dressed in blue jeans, sneakers and his Celtics sweatshirt she'd gotten for him at the game, and smelling like citrus mixed with his favourite Calvin Klein cologne. As expected, Jobal was thoroughly pleased to see him, and gave him a warm hug as soon as he stepped through the door, beating Padme to it. She'd even made lasagne with a salad and a chocolate cake for dessert, two of Anakin's personal favourites, once she'd been informed he was coming for dinner. Of course, Anakin played it for _all_ it was worth, complimenting her mother again and again on how delicious it was and how _wonderful_ a cook she was, which made Padme roll her eyes.

Despite her mother's reservations about a relationship being the best thing for Padme's bright future, she certainly doted on Anakin, as though he was already part of the family. She treated _him_ better than she treated her own daughter, which, when Padme pointed this out, Jobal just shrugged her shoulders and grinned at her. Anakin _clearly_ enjoyed the attention, not that Padme expected anything less of him. She supposed it couldn't really be helped – he _was_ so damn charming, Padme could attest to that. It was no wonder her mother had fallen victim to his smooth words and pretty eyes. He had his assets and _definitely_ knew how to wield them.

Once dinner was over, Padme and Anakin helped clean up the dishes and put the food away, before bidding Jobal a goodnight and then grabbing Padme's overnight bag and walking back to Anakin's house. He slung his arm around her shoulders as they walked, keeping her pressed against his side, and she reciprocated by slinging her own arm around his waist.

Anakin unlocked the front door and led them inside before telling her to go upstairs while he locked up for the night. She went to use his shower while he finished up downstairs, freshening herself up so she could bring out her newest surprise. A secretive smile curled her lips as she lathered herself with his citrus scented body wash, loving the smell of _him_ as it permeated all around her, swirling in the steam that filled the tiny bathroom.

Stepping out of the shower, she dried herself off and then lathered herself in body lotion before she slipped her new, plum-coloured, babydoll over her head, letting the sheer, silky soft material flutter around her hips seductively. Padme had been becoming increasingly more confident in wearing such things, particularly around Anakin, and found that she _liked_ the way it clung to her small breasts and tiny waist, before flaring out slightly around her rounded hips, ending just below the apex of her thighs. It felt _daring_.

She brushed her teeth and fluffed out her hair, applying a single light spritz of a delicately citrusy perfume to the valley between her breasts. Then, smirking at her reflection in the mirror one last time, she strutted confidently into Anakin's bedroom, flicking her hair seductively and swaying her hips, to see him lying on his bed, bare chested, in a pair of pale blue pyjama pants and white socks. He sat up as she entered, raking his darkened, lust-filled eyes appreciatively over her form and smirked. "I _really_ hope you never grow out of _this_ phase, Babe," he quipped.

Grinning, she crawled onto the bed beside him, watching him as his eyes hungrily devoured her cleavage, and slid under the covers. "What? They're just pyjamas, Ani" she remarked, feigning innocence.

Scoffing, Anakin peeled off his socks, tossing them on the floor, tucked his legs under the covers and shuffled closer to her, sliding his arm over her waist, pulling her flush against his chest, and kissing her neck. "Pyjamas my ass," he whispered, humming against her skin.

Padme pushed on his shoulders lightly. "Don't! You gave me a hickey before!" she pouted at him.

Eyes flashing with mirth, he shot her a filthy grin. "So? From what I recall, you weren't complaining."

"I can't show up to the wedding on Saturday covered in love bites, Anakin!" she protested firmly.

"Fine," he sighed dramatically, as though it was such a big thing to ask. "But, once this wedding is over…" he winked at her, his eyes darkening lustfully. " _Everyone_ will know that you're _mine_ , Angel...Now, about your ' _pyjamas'..._ "

Before she could argue, he sealed her lips with a fierce kiss, wrapping his tongue around hers and rolling his body to hover above her, and she sighed into his mouth, raking her hands through his hair, and everything else seemed to fade away into nothing except _Anakin..._

Her ' _pyjamas'_ landed silently on the floor beside the bed.


	36. Chapter 36

**_A/N: Anakin's POV! YAY! I really enjoyed writing this chapter. It's possibly my favourite I've ever written for this story. The next few chapters will be from his POV I think, just because it's a nice change._**

 ** _I'd been contemplating when I was going to reveal this... And originally it was going to be in the sequel, but I decided that this fits better. So, yeah, bombshell approaching! Hope you enjoy xx_**

* * *

The day before the wedding, Padme announced that her mother wanted to have a girls' day out, getting manicures and having facials and going shopping – things that Anakin _really_ didn't understand – and so, decided he'd go visit Obi-Wan. He hadn't seen him since Christmas, so it was only fair to drop by since he was back home. Besides, his mother was busy helping Beru and her mother with last minute preparations, so it wasn't as though he could spend time with _her._

It was only a few blocks to Obi-Wan's place, so Anakin decided to walk, seeing as the weather was sunny and clear, despite being a little chilly. As he walked along the quiet neighborhood streets, his hands shoved in the front pockets of his faded jeans, his mind drifted to his future with Padme, and he sighed. She'd been reluctant to talk about it with him anytime he'd asked her lately, putting it off for _'later'_ or simply changing the subject entirely, much to his mounting frustration. It worried him. _All_ Anakin wanted was to be with her, forever, but it seemed that _she_ was of a different opinion. He vividly remembered her reaction at Christmas when he'd told her of Owen's engagement to Beru, and how she'd showed a strong objection to getting married so young. It haunted his every waking moment. He frowned as he continued to walk, turning all of this over in his mind.

Anakin _knew,_ without a shadow of doubt, that he truly loved and wanted to marry Padme. He'd marry her _today_ , if only she'd agree. She was his _everything_ , his _Angel_ , the light in his life that brought him out of his internal darkness. Without her, he was _nothing_. He would give her the world if he could, and only wanted to have her as _his_ for the rest of his life.

But, despite that, he also respected _her_ wishes. She didn't want that sort of commitment just yet, and as much as it hurt to admit it, Anakin _knew_ she was right. They weren't ready for marriage yet. They didn't even live together for more than a few days at a time. Padme was still at school, and so was he. And, while that wouldn't have stopped _Anakin_ from getting down on one knee and proposing, Padme had other ambitions. She had career goals and aspirations she was striving towards, and what kind of boyfriend would he be if he disregarded all of that. Her driving ambition was something he admired greatly about her. She was truly incredible.

Anakin _wanted_ her to achieve those goals, wanted to _support_ and aid her in doing so. _Still_...

When he'd arrived back home the day before, his mother had approached him and given him a _very_ special and important gift. It was his grandmother's engagement and wedding ring set. Vintage, set in 18 karat white gold with intricately carved designs on it with a round center diamond and two smaller flanking diamonds, and absolutely beautiful. Anakin had stared at it in awe. Shmi had smiled, tears in her eyes, as she handed it to him, explaining that it had been left to her when his grandmother had passed away, and she wanted him to have it.

Anakin had accepted it immediately, though slightly scared. He'd held it in his hands for the longest time, as thousands of images rushed through his mind – him proposing to Padme, her throwing her arms around his neck and crying and telling him she loved him as he placed the ring on her finger, their wedding day; her being escorted by her father down the aisle of that tiny little church down the road, looking stunning in a beautiful white dress, _each_ of them saying 'I do'. Just the _idea_ of marrying Padmehad surfaced all these emotions Anakin had _never_ felt before, and he'd almost cried.

It was what he wanted more than _anything_ else in the world. Anakin didn't see anything wrong with marrying young. If it was meant to be, it was _meant_ to be. Age meant nothing, not if you were truly in love. Sure, it may be a naive way to think, but he didn't care. He was a romantic at heart, and he loved Padme. If he knew anything, it was _that_. They were meant to be together. They were born for each other. He was _certain_ of that. She had seen him for who he _really_ was, knew all of his darkest secrets and worst fears, and yet forgave him and loved him for it. She knew he wasn't perfect, and she accepted that… accepted _him_ , flaws and all. Anakin _knew_ with every fiber of his being that she was the _only_ woman for him. So, what was the _point_ in waiting? Waiting was for those who were unsure. But, Anakin was absolutely certain. To _him,_ it wasn't a matter of _if_ he should propose - rather _how, when_ , and _where_ he should.

That little box was now sitting in his sock drawer, hidden right at the very back. He had no idea what to do with it. It was times like _this_ he wished he had a father, a _proper_ father, someone he could talk to about this, someone to give him advice. Which was why he was going to visit Obi-Wan – the only man in his life who he thought of as a true father figure. Anakin had known him for half of his life, ever since he and his mother had moved to Minnesota, and he trusted the man with his _life_. Perhaps Obi-Wan could shed some wisdom on what he should do.

As he reached Obi-Wan's house, a strange sight met his eyes. There, in the entrance way to the front door, was his mentor and an unfamiliar blonde woman in the middle of a very heated argument. She was short, almost a foot shorter than Obi-Wan, and her face was red and contorted in anger as she waved her arms around dramatically. Obi-Wan had his hands up in surrender, clearly trying to placate her, but the woman was having none of it.

Anakin didn't want to pry, because this was obviously a private matter, but he was also too curious not to watch it unfold. _Who_ was she? He'd never seen her before in his life, and Anakin had known Obi-Wan for just over ten years. The only woman he'd _ever_ seen him with was Satine. Was this woman a sister, maybe? Or, a cousin? He was determined to find out.

Suddenly, the woman let out a sharp cry of rage and thrust a manila folder roughly into Obi-Wan's hands, before turning and storming down the driveway to a dark green Nissan Altima parked on the curb, getting in and slamming the driver's door shut and speeding away in a hurry. Poor Obi-Wan looked stunned, his mouth hanging open, as he stood in the doorway, clutching the folder to his chest, his eyes following the movement of the car as it drove away. It was all so confusing, but Anakin was determined to get to the bottom of it.

He walked towards his friend cautiously and called out to him. The auburn-haired man lifted his head at the sound of his name, and shook his head, giving him a weak smile that didn't reach his blue-green eyes.

"Anakin! What the devil are you doing here?!"

Shrugging, he shoved his hands back in the pockets of his jeans. "It's Owen's wedding tomorrow. I've come back home for that. But, Mom's busy with the final preparations, and Padme's spending the day with her mother, so I thought I'd drop by and visit, if it's not a bad time..."

Obi-Wan nodded, looking a little forlorn. It was strange – Anakin had _never_ seen his mentor so disorientated like this. There was almost this _misery_ surrounding him, and it was utterly perplexing. "Of course, Anakin. You're always welcome. It's good to see you again."

"Thanks. You, too."

They embraced quickly, then Obi-Wan ushered him inside the house. It was impeccably clean, just like everything else that his mentor owned. It was another reason why his profession as a mechanic was _so_ difficult to believe sometimes. How a person who revered _cleanliness_ and was a complete neat freak could work underneath the hood of a vehicle at all hours of the day was beyond Anakin. He only had to glance once around the living room to see _just_ how neat Obi-Wan was. The place was spotless. Everything was arranged _just_ _so_ , in that artfully decorated way you would see in an IKEA catalog. It was almost amusing.

Anakin took a seat on the sofa, resting his right leg casually across his left knee while Obi-Wan offered him something to drink or eat. He gave only a blasé response, paying more attention to that mysterious folder his mentor had left lying on the kitchen counter. The curiosity was eating him _alive._ He wanted so desperately to understand who that woman was, and what was going on, but he knew it wasn't his place to ask. Not _yet,_ at least.

When Obi-Wan finally joined him on the opposite sofa, the elephant in the room was difficult to ignore. It rose up, unyielding and obnoxious, the air between them growing thick and awkward. Anakin shifted slightly in his seat and rubbed the back of his neck, casting his eyes to the ground, as Obi-Wan simply took a sip of his freshly brewed tea. The small talk began, something Anakin had _never_ been very good at, or enjoyed all that much. _How have you been? How is your mother? How is college? How is Padme?_ The same simple, mundane questions that all elicited the same, one-syllable responses.

 _Good._

Eventually, the burning curiosity inside Anakin got the better of him, and he bluntly asked, "Who was that?"

The auburn-haired man kept a surprisingly blank face, his thick eyebrows knitting together, as he tipped his head to the side. "Who?"

Anakin pouted, not in the mood for any of his bullshit, and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "You know _exactly_ who I'm talking about. That random blonde woman you were arguing with just before I showed up."

"You saw that?" Obi-Wan's eyes widened a little in surprise, and when Anakin nodded his head, he sighed deeply. "She was no one important, Anakin. Just an…old acquaintance."

"She didn't look like an old _'acquaintance'_ to me," Anakin insisted. He was nothing if not persistent, after all. "It looked quite heated from where I was standing. Like the two of you have…history, or something."

Lips pursed together in a frown, Obi-Wan scowled. "It's not polite to stick your nose where it doesn't belong, Anakin," he remarked, voice clipped with obvious irritation.

Sensing that he'd struck a nerve, Anakin apologized quickly, clearing the air between them. It was then, he decided, to broach the subject he'd actually come there for. "I…I need your help, your _advice,_ Obi-Wan."

Those sea-green eyes softened a little with quiet affection. It was a look Anakin hadn't seen in _years,_ not since he'd been a wayward teen close to going off the rails. "Of course, Anakin. What can I do for you?"

With a trembling voice, he explained his dilemma; how he _desperately_ wanted to marry Padme, but didn't know if the timing was right…or even if the timing would _ever_ be right. As always, Obi-Wan listened intently, something Anakin was grateful for. His mentor had always been a fantastic listener, and gave possibly the _best_ advice of anyone he'd ever known. He saw him as more than just a friend, but almost as a _father_ figure. Positive father figures had been something he'd lacked in his life, but as soon as he'd moved to Minnesota with his mother and met Obi-Wan, the man had filled that gap. He'd treated Anakin like a son for most of his life, and like a friend at other times. He'd helped him pick himself up at his lowest points, and Anakin couldn't have been more grateful to him. He truly loved him.

When Anakin had finished explaining his feelings and concerns, he sat back and watched Obi-Wan intently, as the older man considered his position. He bounced his knee impatiently and exhaled sharply through his nose, doing his best not to hurry him up, even though it was proving difficult. Anakin had never been a particularly patient individual.

Finally, Obi-Wan sighed, his expression grave. " _Why_ do you want to marry Padme so badly?" he asked.

Anakin stared at him like he was crazy, eyes impossibly wide, jaw almost hitting the floor. "Because, I _love_ her!" he cried out, incredulously. "I love her more than anything. I don't _ever_ want to be without her in my life."

"But, you aren't married now. And, you still love her. What would getting married change about that?"

Frowning in confusion, Anakin crossed his arms and scowled. "She'd be my _wife_ ," he responded almost rudely, as though it was the most obvious answer in the world. What kind of questions were _these_ anyway? What was Obi-Wan playing at?

With a shake of his head, Obi-Wan brought his fingers up to his forehead, rubbing it slowly, suddenly appearing tired. "Is that what you want? To somehow _claim_ her? To _own_ her?"

" _What_ in the world are you talking about? I want her to be _my_ _wife_. To be _mine. Forever._ "

"Anakin…" Obi-Wan whispered his name on an exhausted sigh, his face drawn into a grimace. "You can't just… _own_ someone. Padme is her own person. You can love her, yes, of course you can. But, you can't… _possess_ her. She's not an _object_ , Anakin."

Anger boiled furiously in his blood, rising hotly to the surface of his skin, and he forcefully tried to contain it. He was insinuating _what?_ That he wanted to _possess_ Padme? "I _know_ she's not an object," he snapped harshly. "But, I love her, and I want her to be mine. To love her forever. Is that _so_ fucking wrong?"

Scowling at his language, Obi-Wan just shook his head again. "Anakin, you'd be marrying her for all the _wrong_ reasons," he tried to reason with him, keeping his voice calm and smooth, but Anakin was too worked up to care. He couldn't _believe_ what he was hearing. Did he not _deserve_ to marry Padme? Did he not _deserve_ to love her, to have her as his wife?

"You can't just slip a ring onto her finger as though you're staking a claim to her. That's _not_ what marriage is supposed to be about, Anakin."

That was the final straw. Anakin suddenly _exploded_ , his rage bubbling forward. "What the _fuck_ do you know about marriage?" he bellowed, spitting venom, as he rose aggressively to his feet. "You've been with Satine for ten fucking years, and yet you've _never_ had the balls to propose to her. Ten years, and _nothing to_ show for it. You're just a fucking coward who's afraid of love!"

He made to storm out of the room, when Obi-Wan called out to him sternly. "Sit down, Anakin, and stop acting like a child. You have _no_ idea what you're talking about." Anakin had never heard Obi-Wan sound so serious before, so full of _authority_ , and despite how angry he was, he felt he had no choice but to do as he was asked.

Heaving another great sigh, Obi-Wan got up and retrieved that mysterious folder from the kitchen counter and then sat back down, placing it gently on the glass coffee table between them. Anakin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion but Obi-Wan answered his questioning gaze, remarking, "I shouldn't even be telling you this. If _anyone_ found out I would lose my job. I could be _prosecuted_ for what I'm about to tell you. But, I think it's time you knew the truth."

He reached forward and handed the folder to Anakin, inclining his head to indicate he should open it, which Anakin did, more confused than ever. Opening the folder, he pulled out the first sheet of paper.

It was a divorce form.

 **C. Mace Windu Esq.**

 **Attorney at Law**

 **SUPERIOR COURT OF MINNESOTA, COUNTY OF HENNEPIN**

 **MARRIAGE OF:**

 **Petitioner:** _ **Siri Tachi**_

 **Respondent:** _ **Benjamin Tachi**_

 **PETITION FOR:**

 _ **Legal Dissolution of Marriage**_

Anakin stared at the form in his hand for the longest time, utterly perplexed. _Why_ did Obi-Wan have someone else's divorce papers? And, _why_ had that strange woman delivered them to him? What the _fuck_ was going on here?

When he raised these questions, Obi-Wan just sighed again, dropping his shoulders in resignation. "Those are _my_ divorce papers, Anakin."

"Wait… _what?!_ " Anakin blinked several times, trying to process what he was hearing. "You're… _married?_ ! To a different woman than Satine?! You're getting a – a _divorce?_ But – but these documents are for a… _Benjamin Tachi…_ "

"Yes," Obi-Wan nodded his head slowly. "That is my real name. My _true_ name. Benjamin Tachi. Siri, that blonde woman you saw, is legally my wife."

It was as if his _entire_ world came crashing down around him. Anakin was dumbfounded. His _entire_ life was a lie. Was any of this even _real?_ Surely, it was a dream. He'd known Obi-Wan Kenobi for ten years…and only _now_ , he was finding out that it wasn't even his real name. And, he was _married?_

"What the _fuck_? What is going on, Obi-Wan? That's not even your fucking name… what the _hell_ – this is…this is _so_ fucked up! What the _hell_ is this all about?!" he asked frantically, agitatedly narrowing his eyes in suspicion. "You'd _better_ tell me everything right **now** or I'll…I'll – " he wasn't sure _what_ he was threatening, but he needed answers. He needed the truth, and he needed it _now._

Obi-Wan held his hands up in surrender, clearly trying to calm him down. "Anakin, please. Just…let me explain."

"Well, fucking explain then," Anakin retorted rudely through clenched teeth, his jaw locked.

Raking a hand through his thick auburn hair, Obi-Wan blinked his sea-green eyes sincerely at Anakin. "Firstly, you _have_ to believe me when I say I've _always_ cared about you, Anakin. Regardless of what I'm about to tell you, that has _always_ been true, and that _won_ ' _t_ change." His reassurance unnerved Anakin; the bombshell that he _knew_ was about to be revealed had him almost shaking with nervousness.

"But yes, my name is **not** Obi-Wan Kenobi. Well, in a sense it _is_ , I guess, but not really. I was born Benjamin Tachi, in Perth, Scotland. When I was 15, my family moved over to the US and lived in Georgia for a few years. I wanted to go into the US Marshall's service, but because I wasn't a US citizen, I couldn't apply. When I was 18, I met Siri, the woman who you saw here, and we fell in love and got married; which gave me citizenship status here in America through _her_. So I applied, went through the vigorous training, and passed all the tests, and when I was 23, I was finally selected for the agency. I was an officer in the Witness Protection Program, and after further training, I was given my first case when I was 25. That case was _you and your mother._ "

" **Me?!** " Anakin shook his head to clear his thoughts. "What do you mean, _me?!_ I'm not part of any Witness Protection Program! Mom and I were just relocated to Minnesota to start a new life after my father was sent to prison."

Obi-Wan – or Ben? – smiled sadly. "No, Anakin. That's _not_ completely true. Your father did go to prison, yes, but he is linked to several drug-related crime rings in Arizona – _many_ of his associates are in prison as well...But, not _all_ of them are. For your own safety, you and your mother were placed in the Federal Witness Protection Program and relocated to Minnesota. This was to protect you _both_ from any retaliation from your father or his fellow gang members. I was charged with watching over you, should _any_ of your father's associates decide to seek either of you out. So, I went undercover, as Obi-Wan Kenobi, a humble mechanic with a philosophy degree. Satine is my undercover partner. We've been watching over you and your mother for ten years."

The knowledge was stupefying. All his life, he'd known his father had been a bad man, but _this_ was news to him. Mind blowing news at that! His mother had _never_ said a word, probably to protect him, and yet, he couldn't help but feel _enraged_. He'd been lied to. Deliberately. Lied to by his _own_ _mother_ , lied to by the _only_ man who he had truly respected – a man, come to find out, he didn't even truly _know,_ had _never_ known. He was a complete stranger. An undercover federal agent, no less.

"You…you and Satine…you're _both_ undercover agents?" he asked slowly, still trying to wrap his head around this startling new information.

"Yes."

"And, your real name is Ben?"

"Yes. But, you can still call me Obi-Wan, if you want," he said with a small smile. He was trying to put him at ease, Anakin had to give him that.

With a wry smirk, Anakin shrugged. "Actually, I prefer Ben. It's easier to say. But, you're still married to this… Siri?"

Obi-Wan/Ben rubbed his eyes. "Married is a… _loose_ term. Technically, yes. But, we've been separated for more than ten years. We grew apart over the years…and after Satine and I were assigned to work together on your case, I fell in love with her. When you live and work with someone so closely for so long, putting on a façade of being lovers, it was not unexpected for our front to become reality."

Anakin groaned and leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. " _Shit_ … this is so _fucking_ confusing. I don't even _know_ you anymore." When had his life become so complicated? It was like he was part of one of those crime shows his mother liked watching late at night. _All_ this time, he'd been watched by an undercover agent, and hadn't even _noticed._ Of course, he supposed that was a good thing. If he'd noticed, then Obi-Wan – _Ben… that's gonna be fucking hard to remember_ – hadn't been doing his job well. But, it didn't make the pill any easier to swallow either.

" _Anakin_ …"

"You lied to me," he hissed, hurt and betrayed and suddenly _lonely._ His best friend wasn't even a _real_ person. He was completely made up, a fictitious persona. "I…I _trusted you_ , implicitly, and you – you're not even _real…_ "

"I still care about you, Anakin," Ben insisted earnestly. "Just because I'm not…the _same_ person you knew me to be, doesn't change how I feel toward you. My job is to protect you, to protect you _and_ your mother. But, Anakin...Be warned, be aware... _No_ _one_ else can know. I shouldn't have even told _you_ … if word got out about this…"

" – I won't say anything," Anakin grumbled quickly, a deep scowl still etched across his forehead. The betrayal cut him deep, but even so, he _knew_ how important it was that this was never made public. His _life_ and that of _his mother_ were at stake. Not to mention Cliegg and Padme!

"You can't tell _anyone_ , Anakin," Ben reiterated, deadly serious. "Not Padme. Not Ahsoka. Not even your _mother._ Do you understand? Absolutely no one."

" _Yes, I get it,_ " He fiddled with his hands in his lap, refusing to look up at the stranger before him. Because, he _was_ a stranger. Anakin had known Obi-Wan Kenobi for ten years. He'd known Ben Tachi for all of ten minutes.

"Why does your wife want a divorce all of a sudden?" Anakin asked suddenly. "If you've been separated for years and years, wouldn't you have done it already?" It didn't make any sense to him. _Why_ would he stay in a marriage that was more or less over, especially if he was involved with another woman all that time?

"Siri has tried to get me to agree to a divorce for years," he explained sheepishly. "Our marriage has given me legal citizenship, so I've kept it while I've been waiting to apply for my own. It's only just come through now."

Anakin frowned. "Then _why_ did she look so angry? Wouldn't she have been...I dunno... _relieved_ that you finally agreed?"

It was Ben's turn to squirm, shrinking underneath Anakin's accusatory glare, which hadn't softened since he'd discovered his mentor was essentially an imposter. "Well, um…she found out that Satine is pregnant, you see…"

 _This_ extra piece of news was just too much for Anakin, and he threw his arms up in the air, overwhelmed. "Are you _fucking_ kidding me?! What _else_ have you been hiding from me? That Ahsoka's my goddamn cousin?!"

Ben blanched and coughed slightly, casting his eyes to the floor, and Anakin shook his head in utter disbelief. "No…no you _can_ ' _t_ be serious. This is a joke, right? All of this. A fucking sick joke."

"She's not your cousin, no," Ben assured him, voice weak. "She's...uh...she's your sister, actually."

" _ **WHAT?!**_ _"_

Holding his hands up in surrender, Ben tried to calm him down. "Well, half-sister, really. Your father had a child with another woman, while he was still married to your mother. The child's mother was murdered by some of his drug associates not long after your father was imprisoned. I took the child into my care for her own safety… and, well, that child is...Ahsoka."

No amount of words could describe Anakin's ire at that point. He was beyond _furious!_ Now, he suddenly had a younger sister? A sister that had been hidden from him for half his life?! True, he'd always treated Ahsoka like his little sister anyway, but he'd _never_ imagined in his wildest dreams that they'd actually been related! All this time, he'd had a younger sibling…

Family was _sacred_ to Anakin, more precious than anything, and not knowing about Ahsoka triggered something _deep_ inside him…a deep, roiling wrath that sizzled and burned ferociously. _How_ could Ben have kept Ahsoka a secret from him for ten years? How could he have kept _that_ a secret, about his _own family_? At that moment, he didn't care what kind of special agent Ben was. All he knew was that the man sitting before him was a liar, and he needed to _know_ that what he'd done was wrong.

Fists clenching tightly so that his knuckles turned white, Anakin leapt to his feet, breathing heavy and ragged, drawing himself up to his full, formidable height. "You're an _asshole_."

Ben rose too, a look of deep remorse on his face. "I did it to protect her, Anakin. I love that little girl as if she's my own daughter."

"She's _**my**_ babysister! I deserved to know that! You had _no fucking right_ to keep that fact from me!"

He opened his mouth as though to protest, then hung his head, clearly ashamed. Despite how angry and deceived he felt, Anakin lowered his fierce stance just a little, taking pity on him.

"I know…" Ben muttered softly. "I'm sorry. But, if I'd told you, then you would've asked _how_ I knew that, and then my secret would have been out. Anakin, you're not a child any more...You're an adult. Look at _all_ the ramifications if I _had_ told you the truth before. There is _so much_ at stake here, Anakin! So many _lives_ at risk!"

To an extent, Anakin understood. It wasn't necessarily Ben's fault…He'd _had_ to keep it a secret. It was his job. But, that didn't mean it wasn't confusing as hell. It didn't stop Anakin from feeling betrayed by a man who he'd thought had been his friend, his mentor, his brother, and a father figure all rolled into one. All this new information was _too_ _much_ for him to process at once, and he raked a hand through his hair in helpless defeat.

" _Fuck_... I need a drink."

Ben laughed timidly and nodded his head. "Yeah. So, do I."

Nodding in mutual agreement, the two of them headed out of the house and down the street to the local bar on the corner, a place where Anakin knew he'd get let in without being ID'd, because he'd done it so often there, they recognized him, and the security was lax. If Ben disapproved, he didn't say anything, which Anakin was thankful for. As far as Anakin was concerned, he really didn't have any authority to reprimand him anyway, not after what he'd just revealed.

They took a seat at the bar, Anakin ordering the strongest scotch there was, Ben mirroring him and paying for both. It was completely silent between them as they sat there, drinking. Before Ben's dramatic reveal, Anakin might have enjoyed doing something like this with him, almost as if they were bonding or something. Instead, it now felt awkward and slightly uncomfortable. Neither one knew what to say, so instead of talking, they just drank more, soon having finished three drinks apiece in the space of ten minutes.

Eventually, Ben broke the silence, first with a cough, then twisted on his barstool to face Anakin. "I'm really sorry, Anakin," he began softly, his expression sincere, his voice grave. "This isn't how I wanted this to happen. I _never_ wanted- or _intended-_ to hurt you. I hope you know that."

With a deep sigh, Anakin stared intently at the mahogany bar, idly tracing his finger around the rim of his glass. "Yeah, I understand that…sorta," he muttered. His head pounded, whether that was from the amount of scotch he'd consumed so quickly, or from the amount of information he was currently trying to wrap his head around, or _both,_ he wasn't sure, but he guessed it was probably both. "This is a lot of shit to take in, alright. Just give me some time, to process this. I mean, the last ten years of my life have been a lie!"

"Anakin…" Ben reached across to lay a hand on his shoulder, but Anakin flinched away from him. "This _doesn_ ' _t_ change how I feel about you," he reassured him kindly, a twinge of sadness in his words. "You're like a brother...a son, to me. I've watched you grow up, from boy to man, over the past ten years, and I care so much about you. I'm so very proud to have had the privilege of watching you become the remarkable young man you are. I love you, Anakin. My job, and my name, don't change that. It's my job to protect you, but it's my _choice_ to care about you."

Something about his admission softened Anakin's resolve, and he slowly lifted his head, to be met with the saddest expression in his mentor's eyes that he'd _ever_ seen in his life. He wasn't sure, but it looked as though he was about to cry, and that evoked a deep affection for the man sitting opposite him. The man who had saved his life so many times, who'd helped him find his way, to pick up the scattered pieces of his tragic life and put them back together.

Despite everything that had just been revealed to him, Ben's feelings remained true. Wasn't that all that really mattered? Regardless of _why_ things were the way they were, Anakin should have felt _grateful_ to have had someone genuinely care about him like that, without any sort of ulterior motive.

So, with that in mind, Anakin gave him a weak smile and scoffed. "You shouldn't drink scotch, y'know. It makes you sappy."

His blue-green eyes twinkled with mischief, and he laughed, and it was almost contagious so that Anakin couldn't help but join in. The stiffness in the air between them dissipated somewhat, and even though things weren't going to go back to the way they used to be so easily, there was hope. Anakin could feel it.

"So, Ben, huh? God, that's gonna take some getting used to," Anakin remarked, shaking his head and quickly threw back the last of his drink, before ordering them both another round with a lift of his index finger, sliding the money across the counter to the bartender. "I guess it explains why you're such a neat freak."

"What do you mean?" He tipped his head to the side in confusion, slightly insulted.

With a pointed look, Anakin just smirked. "I never understood how a _mechanic_ could be so… _clean!_ I mean, have you _seen_ your workshop? It's practically spotless. That should've set off alarm bells, right there."

Ben rolled his eyes. "There's nothing wrong with keeping things clean, Anakin."

"No," Anakin conceded. "It's just uncommon."

They received their drinks, and Anakin raised his up. "I guess congratulations are in order. For the baby."

The bright grin that lit up Ben's face at the mention of his unborn child made Anakin smile, as they clinked their drinks together, then threw them back. It was endearing, really, the way his eyes sparkled with excitement. Anakin could understand – the prospect of being a father himself one day filled him with immense pride, and he couldn't _wait_ for that point in time in his life when he and Padme would have a baby together. The mere _thought_ of seeing Padme's belly swollen with _his_ baby filled his heart with a strong surge of proud affection. Of course, he didn't know exactly what a good father was, his own being in contention for possibly the _worst_ father in the US. But, he knew that Ben would be _great_ as a dad, and hopefully, he could learn a thing or two from _him_ , watching him raise his own child.

"Thank you, Anakin. That means a lot."

Wanting to alleviate the tensions between them, Anakin swallowed his pride and reached out to rest his hand on Ben's shoulder in support. "I'm happy for you. Really."

"It was certainly a surprise," Ben admitted, chuckling softly.

"How far along is she?"

"Just over three months. The baby is due in mid September."

Anakin nodded his head, a smirk on his lips. "You should _totally_ name the baby Anakin. It's a gender neutral name, I reckon."

Rolling his eyes, Ben just let out an exasperated sigh. " _Of_ _course_ , **you** would say that," he muttered, shaking his head, but Anakin could tell that he was amused. _Good._ He was trying really hard to keep things normal, to disregard the fact that he was a completely different person, and humour was his cover. It was something he could work with.

They stayed there, drinking, at the bar for a couple more hours, and Anakin felt a little calmer than he had before. His emotions were still tumultuous, and he doubted things would go back to being completely normal between the two of them straight away, but he was no longer… _angry_.

"You should tell Ahsoka," he muttered after a while. "She needs to know. Family is important to kids like us… especially her. She's grown up without a family, and knowing that she actually _has_ a brother – she'll want to know that."

Ben nodded in agreement. "I know. I will, I promise you. When she's older. I don't think she could handle it right now."

"I probably should've figured it out," Anakin laughed, shaking his head. "I mean, we're _so_ similar; we practically _acted_ like brother and sister anyway. It shouldn't have been such a surprise."

"Yes, well, you two _are_ uncharacteristically similar…" Ben smirked. "I'm sorry for keeping that from you," he added in a meek voice. "It wasn't out of malice. I hope you know that."

Anakin nodded solemnly, all previous resentment absent, as he met his mentor's gaze firmly and smiled. "I know."

A mutual understanding passed between them, and Anakin felt the metaphorical clouds part. The air was clear. The truth was out at last.

And, things were going to be okay.


	37. Chapter 37

_**A/N: I'M BAAAAAACKKKKKK! My goodness, that was quite a long break wasn't it? I'm sorry to keep you all waiting. I've been holidaying it up here and haven't had much inspiration to write, that was, until the other day... so I'm sorry. Writer's block really does suck. But thank you for being patient. I hope this chapter is worth the terribly long wait! Enjoy xx**_

* * *

"Ani!" Padme called out to him from the bedroom.

"Hmm?" Anakin muttered back as he shaved at the sink in his bathroom, dragging the razor delicately along the contours of his jaw so as not to accidentally cut himself. The _last_ thing he wanted was to have photos taken with him looking like someone had glassed him.

"Can you come here real quick, please?"

Huffing impatiently, he rolled his eyes as he rinsed his razor under the running water, unable to stop himself from smirking. "Hang on a sec, Babe. Kinda busy at the moment trying _not_ to slit my throat."

He distinctly heard her grumble a quick, snarky remark under her breath and grinned to himself. With one final stroke, he rinsed off his razor one last time under the tap, washed off his face, and lathered himself in after shave, before turning off the tap and heading into the bedroom; half-dressed in only his navy dress pants and fitted white V-neck undershirt, his white dress shirt still hanging over the end of his bed, in need of a good iron.

The sight before him once he entered his room made him stop where he was, his breath catching in his chest, his eyes widening in appreciation. There, standing in front of the full length mirror on the back of his closet door,and dressed in red, was Padme. Her dress was open at the back, exposing her flawless ivory skin and her black, strapless bra and the top of her thin, lacy black thong. Hot tendrils of arousal instantly flushed straight to his groin as he shamelessly admired her. Truly, she was the most breathtaking creature Anakin had _ever_ beheld, and she was all _his._ It ignited his primal, animalistic instincts, and he was suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to peel that offensive red fabric slowly off her body, revealing her luscious, perfect feminine form to his hungry gaze, and worship her skin with his lips and hands and tongue, like the angel that she was. _His_ angel.

His delicious thoughts were soon interrupted by Padme huffing and tapping her bare foot on the floor impatiently. "Stop standing there gawking, Anakin, and help me do up my dress." She pointed over her shoulder at the back of her dress with a well manicured fingernail.

Anakin was about to retort that doing _up_ her dress was the _last_ thing he wanted to do, but when she whipped her head around to glare at him impatiently over her shoulder, he swallowed, nodded his head firmly, and hurriedly approached her. Sweeping her glorious chestnut tresses to the side, he reached for the tiny zipper and delicately drew it slowly upwards, being mindful not to snag the fabric of her dress, before fastening the hook at the top, just between her shoulder blades. Then, because he couldn't help himself, he bent to brush his lips chastely against her neck just under her earlobe, smirking as he felt her shudder at the light caress and heard her sigh happily.

Pressing himself flush against her back, he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and dropped another sweet kiss to her shoulder, enjoying the feel and taste of her smooth skin underneath his lips. His eyes eagerly raked over her appearance in the mirror.

Her figure-hugging red dress reached to her knees, moulding to her curves perfectly. The neckline was low and straight across the top of her chest, with off-the-shoulder short sleeves and a small little 'v' that dipped down between her breasts, showing a tasteful, yet tantalising amount of cleavage, emphasized by her push-up bra. She looked stunning, and as Anakin continued to press affectionate kisses to the side of her neck, he felt incredibly lucky to have such a beautiful woman on his arm.

"You look simply _ravishing_ , Angel," he rumbled his appreciation intimately in her ear, kissing her again just under her earlobe and making her shudder once more.

She gave him a radiant smile and turned in his intimate embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck and twirling her fingers through the curls growing back at his nape. Anakin delighted in running his hands up and down her sides, before resting them on the sensual curves of her hips, sliding his open palms down over the upper swell of her bottom, pulling her hips forward tightly against his own and swooped down to capture her lips softly. The kiss was over far too soon for Anakin's liking, as Padme lightly pushed on his chest and stepped out of his arms, her expression bemused.

"Focus, Ani. We don't want to be late."

With a wolfish grin, Anakin just shrugged his shoulders. "I can be quick, Babe," he winked at her, and she let out an exasperated sigh, rolling her eyes at him.

"Oh, I _know_ you can, Baby," she teased him, her beautiful brown eyes sparkling with mirth. "But as _tempting_ as that offer is, I've still got to do my hair and makeup. And, _you've_ got to iron your shirt. So, go _. Shoo._ " She pushed him lightly towards the door, an amused smile on her face.

Pouting at her, Anakin grumbled in compliance and picked his shirt up off the bed. "Alright, alright. I'm going." Her light, airy laugh drifted out of the room and followed him down the stairs as he hurried down to the laundry room to iron his shirt. It took him longer than he'd anticipated, because he wasn't very good at ironing out creases, having had very little practice at it – Shmi had always done his ironing for him when he had lived at home, and he'd gotten into the habit of just lazily smoothing out the creases in his t-shirts with his palms at college on the rare occasion he could even be bothered. But, this was a _wedding,_ and he seriously doubted that either Padme _or_ Shmi would be impressed if he turned up in a wrinkled shirt, so he gritted his teeth and complied, being careful not to scorch his new shirt.

When he was finally pleased with the crisp looking results of his efforts, he went back upstairs, putting on his dress shirt as he went and buttoning up the front. He walked into his room to find Padme was still busy in the bathroom, and he _knew_ better than to bother her while she was doing her hair. The last time he'd done so, he'd frightened her accidentally, causing her to burn her scalp with her hair straightener. Once she'd recovered from the immediate pain of it, she'd pulled her hair-straightener on _him_ , wielding it like a weapon, and started swearing and yelling at him for being annoying and insufferable, for being a _guy_ basically, and he definitely _didn't_ want to repeat that history. So, he let her be to do whatever it is females... _do_ with their hair and makeup.

Once he'd buttoned up his shirt and fastened his new gold and silver cufflinks in the cuffs– leaving the top button undone until he did his tie because it _was_ unnecessarily uncomfortable to have the stiff starched collar of his shirt suffocating him for no reason - and tucked it into his pants, he looped a new brown leather belt through the loops, clasping it at the front with the silver clasp, then sat down on the end of his bed to put on his socks and shoes. He chose a pair of dark navy knit dress socks with yellow and green polka dots that his mother had gotten him for Christmas last year and then slipped his feet into his new dark brown wingtip leather oxfords and quickly did up the laces. As he stood back up, he smirked at himself in the full-length mirror. _Damn!_ He looked _good_ , and he knew it.

When Padme had insisted that they wear complementary outfits to the wedding and texted him an accompanying picture of what outfit _she_ wanted to wear, poor Anakin had been dumbfounded. So, like any other distressed, fashion-challenged male would do, he'd sought out his classmate, Aayla Securra, to take him shopping and help him out. The last time he'd worn a suit was for his mother's wedding to Cliegg, but it had been recycled. It was the same black suit he'd worn to his high school Senior Prom, and it had been almost two inches too short at the ankles, as he'd grown quite substantially since he'd been eighteen, and it was a little _too_ tight around his ass and thighs; as he'd also put on quite a bit of muscle after high-school, no longer being that scrawny, lanky teenager he used to be.

But, _this_ suit was different. It fit him properly, was the right length, was slimming in its cut but not tight, and the colour was perfect against his tanned skin tone. _Aayla_ _really_ _did_ _well_ , he thought, smiling at his reflection...incredibly well, in all honesty, and it seemed that Padme had agreed because she'd made no objections about his outfit when he'd first shown it to her, which had to be a good sign. Though, it had amused him immensely when he'd called her and told her that _Aayla_ was the one taking him to _Nordstroms_ on Michigan Avenue in Chicagoto get fitted for a suit, and she'd gotten all pouty and huffy in that adorably jealous way of hers. She'd adamantly denied it, of course, but Anakin could see right through her, and he'd immediately assured her that his friend and classmate was currently head over heels for, and sleeping with, his other friend Kit, and so _she_ had nothing to worry about in that regard with Anakin. He was _all_ Padme's, plain and simple.

Padme returned from the bathroom just as Anakin stepped toward the full length mirror, and he shifted his gaze to look at her reflection and gulped, eyes bulging, at the sight of her. She looked simply _radiant_. Complete and total perfection _._ Her hair was straightened, pulled back into an elaborate and elegant twisted knot at the base of her head with some gold jeweled clips securing her hair in place, with artfully styled bangs and wisps framing her angelic features. Her skin was glowing, her regal cheekbones pronounced with some sort of shimmery powder, her chocolate brown eyes somehow darker and eyelashes longer with her expertly applied eyeshadow and mascara, and her lips were painted a dark red to match her dress and nail polish, looking plump and full and lusciously inviting, and Anakin had to suppress the urge to kiss her senseless.

She noticed him staring at her and smirked, eyes twinkling, hand on her cocked hip, dark eyebrows raised. "What?"

Shaking his head, Anakin smiled and ran a hand through his hair. "You're just _so_ beautiful, Padme."

His eyes darkened hungrily, as he noticed that pretty pink blush he loved so much rise in her cheeks. She opened her mouth to protest – as he knew she would because she could _never_ accept a compliment from him. He couldn't understand that. _How_ could she not see what he did? Her failure to acknowledge how truly beautiful she was made him angry sometimes, but he never said anything, for fear of making her upset.

Instead of speaking, however, she just shook her head, closed her mouth, and smiled at him, before bending down to slip on her gold, strappy heels that added four inches to her diminutive height, giving him a generous view of her cleavage as she did so. Anakin watched her fondly as she stood back up and walked back over to join him at the mirror to put on a pair of dangly, gold earrings and a delicate gold chain around her neck and another delicate gold chain bracelet on her wrist. After a few moments of simply watching her, he leaned over and picked up his red accented tie off his desktop, moving up behind her to put on and fix his tie. As they stood there together before the mirror, side by side, dressing themselves in silence – Padme applying a light spritz of perfume to her wrists, cleavage, and neck – Anakin couldn't help but think about their future. About _marriage._ To was just something so intimately _familiar_ about this moment, almost as if they were husband and wife already. Maybe Ben had been right. What would marriage change about their relationship, other than making it legal? What was the point in rushing ahead? They were already committed to each other. They were young; they had time, right?

 _Ben._

Suddenly, the previous day's conversation came flooding back to him all at once, slamming into his subconscious relentlessly, and he immediately stiffened, jaw locking. He'd almost forgotten about the dramatic events of the day before up until this point, and it was still too _weird_ , too _unbelievable_ for him to fully comprehend.

Of course, keeping something this big from Padme was killing him. Anakin hated keeping secrets from her. He'd _promised_ there wouldn't be any more between them, that they would be honest with each other from here on out. But, he just _couldn't_ tell her, even though it was practically torture. Ben had made him _swear_ … there were too many risks, too many lives at stake if the knowledge ever came out – his mother's, Ahsoka's, _Ben's._ Even his own. Maybe even _Padme's_. And so, he _had_ to remain silent.

Not that it was easy. It wasn't.

When he'd returned home late yesterday afternoon from the bar he'd gone to with Ben, he could tell right away that Padme _knew_ something was wrong. Anakin did his best to act nonchalant and interested, as he listened to her explain about her day, show off all the new things she'd bought (including a lovely wedding gift for Owen and Beru from them both), trying to act like his normal teasing self through dinner and dessert, and then completely lost himself in her when they made love long into the night last night in an attempt to keep his mind off his problems. But, Padme wasn't stupid. She knew him better than he even knew himself, and when she'd asked him if something was bothering him, he'd _almost_ let it slip. It had taken _all_ of his willpower to keep quiet, and instead, he'd drawn her close, pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, mumbled a quiet goodnight, and then released her and rolled over, turning away from her in a pretence of sleep, hoping that she wouldn't ask him again. He knew he'd hurt her feelings though, when she'd sniffled a quiet, " _night, Ani_ ," before rolling away from him herself and curling up in a ball, and he'd hated the distance between them, that he'd hurt her like that, but it was the only thing he _could_ do to keep quiet.

Neither of them had slept well, apparently, as evidenced by the overly rumpled bedcovers and the shadows and bags under _both_ their eyes when they got up that morning, and breakfast had been an unusually quiet affair despite the fact Padme had made his favorite, blueberry pancakes, with her not understanding his sudden silence and he staying resolutely focused on the sports section of the newspaper as they ate, refusing to look at her or engage her in conversation. To make matters worse for him, she'd remained annoyingly sceptical after that, constantly peering at him with narrowed eyes, as though trying to figure out what exactly was going on. His mind still in turmoil, his emotions a jumbled mess, and unable to handle her inquisitive expressions constantly thrown his way since they'd woken up, Anakin had taken to avoiding her for the rest of the morning, leaving her to clean up the kitchen by herself and instead choosing to tinker on his project C3PO in the garage before having to get a shower and get ready for the wedding. He just couldn't trust himself _not_ to say something, and it was easier this way, even though he _knew_ it hurt her feelings and only made her convictions that much stronger that something was out of sorts.

"Is something wrong, Ani?" Padme's soft voice interrupted his thoughts, and he glanced beside him in the mirror, to see her watching him in concern, head tilted inquisitively, lips pursed, eyebrows narrowed.

Frowning, Anakin shrugged his shoulders casually, as he finished tying his tie, and turned away from the mirror, raking a hand through his hair. "Nothing. M'fine."

Even though he had his back to her, he knew _exactly_ the expression that was on her face, as she clicked her tongue irritably. " _Anakin…"_

"Dammit, Padme!" he snapped suddenly, fed up with her constant probing. "Just leave me alone, will you?! I said I'm _fine,_ ok?!"

As soon as he'd finished his outburst, he'd regretted it, squeezing his eyes closed in a grimace, and he was sure she'd start yelling at him for acting out like that. Instead, he was surprised when he felt her slender arms wind around his waist and the soft, firm, _comforting_ weight of her body pressed up against his back. " _Ani_ … don't shut me out, Baby, " she begged him. " _Please_."

Heaving a sigh, he gently pulled her arms away from his waist, stepped out of her embrace and sat down heavily on the bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his splayed knees, folding his hands together and letting them dangle between his legs. He couldn't look at her, see her beautiful brown eyes wide with worry, or else he'd lose all self-control. So, he opted to stay silent, staring at his clasped hands instead, the short blunt fingernails, the scarred knuckles, the calloused pads of his fingers.

The bed shifted slightly as Padme gently sat down beside him and snuck her hand across to cup his knee, squeezing it affectionately. "Ani, _please_ talk to me. You've been distant with me since you came back from visiting Obi-Wan yesterday," she observed, her voice sweet and yet firm, determined. "Did something bad happen between you two?"

Anakin jerked his knee away from her touch and huffed irritably, exhaling loudly through his nose, his teeth grinding together. But, he didn't say anything. And, he still refused to look at her.

That didn't stop Padme. She reached out again with her tiny hand and gently rubbed his thigh. "You _promised_ you wouldn't keep secrets from me, Anakin," she reminded him, firmly.

He couldn't deny she was right. So, instead, he opted for a half-truth instead. Placing his hand over hers, he rubbed his thumb gently over her knuckles and sighed. "Satine's pregnant."

"Oh! Well...that's...that's _wonderful_ for them!" Padme exclaimed brightly, a pretty smile lighting up her face. "Is that why you've been acting so strange? He asked you to keep it a secret?"

Scowling, Anakin shook his head. "No. He didn't even tell me until I probed him," he sulked. "He's _supposed_ to be my best friend, Padme. And, yet, he keeps something _that_ importantfrom me! It's not _fair_ , y'know."

Of course, it was not Satine's pregnancy that was _really_ affecting Anakin so much, but he decided to go with it. Padme seemed to be buying it anyway, and he would be lying if he said he _wasn't_ angry about that, as well. Ben had only told him of the pregnancy offhandedly, almost as though he wasn't going to even tell him about it at all.

Padme squeezed his fingers tightly. "I'm _sure_ there was a reason he didn't tell you, Ani," she reasoned, trying to be supportive.

Knowing that she was just trying to help, Anakin sighed and finally lifted his head to meet her gaze, giving her his best smile. "Yeah. I know," he admitted and leaned over and pressed a soft kiss between her brows, before standing up and pulling her up with him. "Come on. We'd better get going, or we'll be late, and then I'll _never_ hear the end of it from Mom." He walked over and grabbed his suit jacket off the back of his desk chair, draping it over his arm, then retrieved his wallet and cellphone off his nightstand while Padme grabbed a light golden shoulder wrap and tucked her gold clutch purse under her arm and headed downstairs.

There was so much he still wanted to tell her, wanted to get off his chest, but he knew he couldn't say anything. He'd sworn himself to secrecy. Anakin just hoped that the wedding and the reception would prove enough of a distraction for _both_ of them for the time being.

Padme had offered to drive them in her mother's car, which Anakin appreciated, as she'd insisted that it was _his_ family, and therefore, he should be free to have a good time at the wedding and imbibe a little without having to worry about driving them home afterward. The wedding was to be held in Owen's backyard – a small, simple wedding ceremony with no more than fifty guests. Shmi had been over at the house on a constant basis over the past few weeks to help with decorations, and when they pulled up out front and parked, Anakin had to admit, as he looked at the house, that she'd done a wonderful job. The porch railings were decorated with white ribbon and bouquets of fresh white lilies and tiny baby pink roses. Several guests already milled about outside, holding glasses of champagne and chatting amongst themselves. Light classical music drifted out from inside, giving a sweet, romantic ambiance to the small, quaint stone house.

Anakin took Padme's hand tightly in his, twining their fingers together, as they walked up the front porch steps in search of Shmi and Cliegg, as he didn't really know anyone else that would be here, having only met Owen a few times since their respective parents had married. They found her standing with a woman he vaguely recognised to be Cliegg's mother. When Shmi saw them, her face broke out into a wide smile, and she beckoned them over immediately.

"You look _beautiful_ , Mom," Anakin remarked fondly as he bent down to kiss his mother's cheek, and she blushed under his tender compliment, tossing it aside with a flick of her wrist and a light scoff.

Shmi really _did_ look lovely in her cream knee-length dress adorned with an elegant floral pattern, a navy, short-waisted jacket over her shoulders, and a large, wide brimmed, cream hat with a navy blue ribbon – something very uncommon, but Anakin knew it was because she'd started losing her hair and wanted to cover it up. But, there was no hiding the utterly exhausted expression in her brown eyes, and her face held a sort of gray tinge to it underneath her skin that made Anakin grow sad. As brave as his mother was, the cancer and the chemo _was_ taking it's toll on her. She was so young, though, only forty-two years old, and yet she looked far older than that, as though she was in her late fifties. Anakin _hated_ watching his beloved mother suffer like this and not be able to do anything to help her.

"Thank you, Sweetheart," Shmi said with a soft smile, giving his cheek a gentle pat with her hand. "Don't you look handsome! You've _finally_ got a suit that fits you, and the color is just _perfect_ for you," her eyes trailed up and down his form before flicking over to Padme with a smile. "I guess I have _you_ to thank for that, Dear?"

Beside him, Padme laughed quietly and squeezed Anakin's hand, blinking up at him with twinkling amusement in her dark eyes. "Well, yes, it was _partially_ my idea," she smirked, which made him roll his eyes.

Shmi chuckled and smirked up at her son. "Well, it's certainly paid off. The two of you look absolutely stunning. The _perfect_ couple!"

"A gorgeous couple, indeed," Cliegg's mother nodded in agreement, beaming at them. "I suspect it won't be long until the _two of you_ are tying the knot yourselves, from what I hear!"

Shmi eyed Anakin pointedly with a lift of her brow, a knowing smile on her lips. Beaming himself at the idea of marrying his Angel, Anakin glanced down at Padme affectionately, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, hoping to see her eyes shining with hope. Instead, she stiffened beside him, her grip on his hand growing limp, and a frown of confusion crossed her face before she quickly rearranged her features into a polite smile.

"Oh, I don't think so," she gently shook her head and remarked lightheartedly with that little laugh that meant she was nervous. "Marriage isn't on the cards for us _just_ yet, right, Ani?"

It felt like he'd just been stabbed through the heart with a rusted knife to hear her say that. He flicked his blue eyes down to meets hers, trying desperately to hide the pain that her words had inflicted so that she wouldn't notice and gave a half-hearted laugh himself, accompanied by a weak smile. "No, definitely not yet," he conceded, but his voice was strained like a wounded animal. _He_ could hear it, and from the look in Padme's eyes, _she_ could hear it, too. Anakin tried not to notice the slightly narrowed gaze his mother trained on them both, her eyes flicking back and forth between them in question. To try and ease his mother's concern, he gave her what he hoped was his most encouraging smile.

Feeling his unease in his stiffened posture, Padme squeezed his hand tightly to try and comfort him and mouthed _"I love you"_ in an attempt to ease his worry, and even though it was pointless, Anakin bent his head to kiss her cheek softly. He couldn't be mad at her, because she _was_ right. Padme was _always_ right. He still had three years of college to go, and she had graduation coming up and would then need to find employment. Now, _really_ wasn't the time for them to even _think_ about marriage. Still, it didn't make the pill any easier for him to swallow when marrying Padme was _exactly_ what he wanted most of all.

The ceremony was quaint but intimate, the vows short but sweet, and the newlyweds were surrounded by this aura of love and bliss that brought a smile to Anakin's lips, as he sat in his white folded chair next to Padme amongst the guests, watching the bride and groom, his arm draped lovingly around Padme's shoulders, letting his fingers absently brushing against the soft skin of her left upper arm. Even though he'd only met Owen on a few occasions, he'd never seen his step-brother look so happy in his entire life, as he gazed adoringly upon his new wife. Though a relatively plain girl, Beru was positively glowing, her features lit up from the inside out, giving her a sort of radiant beauty. If _that_ was what marriage did, then Anakin couldn't _wait_ to see how it would affect _Padme_ one day _,_ who was already so _painfully_ beautiful in his eyes. Glancing down at her, he noticed a soft smile on her lips and a sheen of tears in her eyes as she watched the ceremony, and hope rekindled in his chest for them.

Once the ceremony was over and the formal pictures taken (Anakin being glad he'd _not_ cut himself shaving that morning), the newlywed couple took to the floor for their first dance as husband and wife at the small reception, and Padme curled into his side as they watched, clinging tightly to his arm, sliding one hand down to twine her fingers with his.

"They look so happy," she whispered beside him, leaning her head on his arm.

"Yeah," he nodded his head in agreement as he watched his step-brother and new sister-in-law, twirl gracefully across the dancefloor, arms wrapped around each other, foreheads pressed together, staring lovingly into each other's eyes. It was as though nothing else existed but them, as though Anakin was watching a very private moment between the pair, something he shouldn't be witnessing. "They do."

"Maybe…I guess I always thought it was crazy, but I dunno...I mean, looking at them, seeing how happy they are…Well, _maybe_ marrying young isn't so bad after all, y'know? If you've found the right one for you, _why_ wait? If it's meant to be?" Padme mused softly, as she gazed upon the newlyweds dancing. "I mean, if it _feels_ right…?"

Unable to believe what he was hearing but elated nonetheless by it, Anakin looked down at her, to see the sweetest smile on her face as she continued to watch Owen and Beru. His heart _soared_ at her words, and he was unable to stop the enormous grin of delight that broke out on his face.

"Yeah. If it feels _right_ …" he echoed her words quietly, squeezing her hand gently, suddenly filled with an immense sense of _hopeful anticipation_ for their future. Of course, he knew that Padme would want to wait until after she had graduated, but her unexpected change of heart about marrying young brought forth a sudden resurgence of ideas, and he realised clearly in that moment that, with her graduation only two months away now, their future could begin sooner than even _he'd_ hoped for.

Ben was wrong this time. Anakin just _knew it._ He _knew_ Padme was the one for him. He _knew_ this was right, and his mind immediately began working overtime, planning and preparing, an idea already taking root. He smiled to himself as the idea began to take shape in his thoughts. Of course, he wanted it to be _special_ , to be a surprise. Something _wonderful_ that would bring tears to her eyes when she relayed that moment to her mother and sister, to Dorme and her other friends, to their future _children…_

And, for the _first_ time in their relationship, Anakin was _hopeful._


	38. Chapter 38

_**A/N: Thank you all so much for the wonderful welcome back! And all the reviews! I've certainly missed that after my hiatus. Here's the next chapter for you. We're still in Anakin's head right now, so savour it while you can, but it won't be long before it's back to Padme again :)**_

 _ **Hope you enjoy! xx**_

* * *

Anakin couldn't sleep. _Again._ It had been the third night in a row since his… _confrontation_ with Ben, and the troubling thoughts of that _revealing_ conversation kept him from finding even a scrap of solace. Even making love with Padme long into the night after their return home from the wedding reception had been but a temporary balm for his turbulent thoughts. While she contentedly drifted off to sleep nuzzled against him, sated and exhausted from their lovemaking, _he_ found his mind refocused from passion's embers to brooding about Ben. He did his best not to stir, so that he didn't wake her, for she would worry and start asking him questions again, none of which he could answer. Instead, he lay there on his back, arms crossed under his head, staring blankly up at the ceiling, as he tried to clear his mind.

It didn't work.

He eventually managed to doze off to the rhythm of Padme's gentle breathing, only to be woken up by a jolt what felt like mere _minutes_ later, to the sound of his mother's voice coming from downstairs. Grumbling under his breath, he slowly rolled over to reach for his phone on his nightstand to check the time, and his frown only deepened when he saw that it was just 7:30 am. What on earth was his mother doing talking so _loud_ at this time of the morning?! On a _Sunday_ , no less?

Beside him, Padme mumbled something softly in her sleep and snuggled closer into his bare back, her warm arms wrapping immediately around his waist like they always did. Her fingers whispered a gentle caress against his abdomen, as she brushed her lips against his upper back and rubbed her nose between his shoulder blades, her cloud of hair tickling the base of his neck. Waiting a couple of minutes to let her resettle, a small smile graced his lips at her loving embrace, but he was too awake now to stay in bed any longer. Taking care to be gentle, Anakin slowly untangled himself from Padme's arms and rose out of bed, pulling the covers up over her shoulders snugly, and bent to press a soft kiss to her forehead. Redressing himself in a white V-neck t-shirt and some grey sweatpants he had flung over his desk chair, he opened and closed the bedroom door as quietly as he could before he shuffled downstairs on bare feet, stretching his long limbs in the process.

He found Shmi in the kitchen, draped in her fluffy, pink dressing gown, brewing herself a cup of morning coffee as she leaned against the counter, and she turned around at the sound of Anakin's heavy footfalls, giving him a pleasant smile.

"Morning, Sweetheart," she greeted him. "I'm just making some coffee. Do you want some?"

Anakin stretched his arms up above his head, arching his back forward as he rolled his head left and right to stretch his neck and then nodded his head, his face scrunched up in a yawn, and took a seat on one of the barstools at the breakfast counter, watching his mother move about the kitchen. "Yes, please," he muttered groggily.

Shmi regarded him with concern. "You look exhausted, Ani," she remarked, pouring his coffee and sliding a steaming mug of fresh brew over towards him. "Couldn't sleep?"

He took the cup of black coffee and nursed it tenderly between his hands, sipping at it and instantly regretting the way the hot liquid scalded his tongue and throat. "Y-yeah," he spluttered between coughs.

Laughing at him, Shmi simply shook her head, reaching over and handing him a napkin to dab at his lips with. "Oh, for goodness sake, Anakin! Have some patience will you? You'll burn yourself!"

" _Mom_ …" Anakin smirked wryly, his eyes amused despite the bags under them. "Patience has never been my strong suit. You know that."

"Hmm, yes, I know," she grinned back with an exasperated roll of her eyes, and took a sip of her own coffee.

"Who were you talking to this morning?" he asked after a while, his coffee half gone and that cloud of exhaustion somewhat lifted. "I heard someone downstairs."

Shmi put her mug down on the counter and shrugged her shoulders casually. "It was Obi-Wan," she explained. "He's invited us over to his place for dinner tonight. You and Padme as well."

Anakin hesitated at the mention of _his_ name. "Oh." Dinner? What was he playing at? It was hard enough for Anakin to swallow the immense bombshell that had been unloaded on him not two days ago. It was still _hard_ to comprehend. Not to mention keep quiet about. And, now he had to be in the same _room_ as him? With his family? With _Padme?_ Pretending that everything was fine and nothing had changed, when it felt like his entire world had been turned upside down and inside out?

"I got the distinct impression he wants to tell us something. Something important." His mother tilted her head, a quizzical look on her face as she probed him for answers. "Do you know what's going on, Ani?"

Swallowing uncomfortably, Anakin took a deep breath and turned his head away, looking out the patio door into the backyard. The first orange rays of sunlight were just starting to shimmer in the morning dew on the grass. Lying to Padme was hard enough… but to lie to his own _mother?_ It was almost impossible. Keeping his promise to Ben was proving to be the hardest thing Anakin had _ever_ had to do in his entire life. How was he supposed to keep this up for the rest of his life? Keep lying to those he loved... _forever?_ It was exhausting to even _think_ about.

"Know what…?" he shrugged his shoulders and muttered weakly in a poor attempt at a lie.

Shmi narrowed her gaze and eyed him suspiciously. "Hmm…Well, I suppose we'll find out tonight then, won't we? You've never been a very good liar, though, Ani," she added with a chuckle, smiling fondly at him.

 _If only you knew, Mom,_ he thought bitterly to himself.

"Is Padme awake yet? Will she want some coffee?"

Snorting with laughter and glad for the directional change of conversation, Anakin nodded his head. "Oh yeah. She'd want it twenty-four-seven if it was available in an IV," he smirked. Padme's love for coffee outweighed even his own – all those stressful assignments at Harvard had caused her to become somewhat addicted to it over the years. Dorme had even confessed to him recently about Padme being at shaking-point from a caffeine overdose on more than one occasion in the last two months, which had Anakin worried sick. While she was better _now_ , she still never went a day without at least two cups of coffee if she could help it. He secretly hoped that once she was done with school though, he could help her to cut back to just one cup a day.

"Alright, I'll make her some," Shmi conceded, grabbing an extra mug out of the cabinet and poured a fresh cup of coffee for Padme, adding some sugar and creamer at Anakin's suggestion (because Padme was a sweet tooth), before putting the lid on it and placing it on the kitchen counter for Anakin to take up to her. "So... how are things between the two of you? You looked rather _amorous_ at the wedding, I must say." She turned and flashed her son a fond smile, her eyes twinkling with delight.

"Yeah…" Anakin mumbled as a small smile crept upon his own lips. The wedding had had a profound impact on both of them, but Padme _especially_. She'd been much more affectionate at the reception than she'd been with him in a long time, at least, _in public._ Normally, she was quite shy and reserved about open displays of affection (beyond holding hands) in public, but at the reception, as they'd slow-danced in one another's arms to song after song, she'd allowed Anakin to cuddle and kiss her on multiple occasions, and had spent most of the evening attached to his side, wrapped around one of his arms, holding his hand, their fingers entwined tightly together. Anakin had been _beyond_ elated at this unexpectedly romantic side of her, so freely _open,_ when normally she was _only_ like this in the privacy of their bedrooms. And, to be sure, that romantic spirit had certainly carried over to their lovemaking last night. But, Anakin decided to keep _that_ to himself.

"They're great, Mom."

"Have you given any thought about… _you know_ … what we talked about the other night?" his mother asked carefully, tilting her head and crossing her arms over her chest, watching her son closely.

Shrugging, Anakin just sighed. "Yeah, I have … it's just – it's sort of _complicated_. Padme doesn't…I mean, I _know_ she loves me and everything, but the timing's gotta be right. She's still at college, y'know. She doesn't graduate for two more months."

Nodding her head slowly, his mother smile and reached out to take his hand. "I understand. Just follow your heart, Ani," she told him wisely. "Trust your instincts. You'll know when the time is right."

Grinning at her, he squeezed her hand gently. "Thanks, Mom."

Once he'd finished the last slurp of his coffee, Anakin reached over, grabbed Padme's mug of coffee off the counter, and decided to head back upstairs to see if she had woken up yet. It was rare for her to sleep later than him, as she was always an early riser, but he supposed she was just exhausted after her hectic semester and then the wedding and everything, so he didn't begrudge her, her beauty sleep. _Not that she needs beauty sleep,_ he thought to himself fondly, as he ascended the stairs. When he opened the door to his room, however, he saw a horrifying sight, and he stopped dead in his tracks, his breathing caught in his chest, his heart in his throat...

Padme.

Very much awake.

And sifting through his sock drawer.

 _He almost had a heart attack!_

" _What_ do you think you're doing?!" he demanded, a little more roughly than he'd intended, his heart palpitating in his chest so fast he was _sure_ it was going to burst. What _was_ she doing?! What if she'd seen the _ring?!_

It was a wonder he hadn't dropped her mug of coffee on the floor, his hands were trembling so bad.

Padme, dressed in the new cream lace and red satin babydoll set she'd worn to bed last night, squealed in surprise and jumped back immediately, slamming the sock drawer closed and whirling on Anakin with wide shocked eyes, her right hand slapped over her heaving chest in fright. "Anakin! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Stepping further into his room, Anakin closed and locked the door, set her coffee down on his desk, and crossed his arms over his chest. "What are you doing, Padme?"

"My feet are cold," she explained with a shy smile, rubbing her hands up and down her arms adorably. "I just wanted a pair of socks to put on." He noticed she was rubbing her right foot on top of her left foot, and she had goose pimples all over her arms and legs.

"Oh…" he softened a little at her expression and shook his head. "You could've just asked me to get you some, Angel."

She shrugged, but kept rubbing her arms for warmth. "Well, you weren't here when I woke up so I decided I'd do it myself. Besides, it's no big deal, Ani," she laughed and stepped closer to him, a smirk on her face. "Gosh, I didn't realise it was such a crime to go through your drawers! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to hide something!"

Anakin jolted a little but bent to kiss her softly. "I'm not!" he assured her with a grin he _hoped_ didn't look fake. "I was just…surprised, that's all." He hurriedly reached into his sock drawer and pulled out a pair of thick, white socks with a black stripe around the top and handed them to her, making sure that the _ring_ was still hidden from sight, tucked at the back of the drawer. He'd need to move it, of course, once Padme had left the room. He couldn't take the risk of her accidentally finding it if she should need more socks.

Padme rolled her eyes and shook her head, grinning as she bent down to roll the socks up her legs. They were enormous on her, reaching past her knees, and the sight of her in his tube socks, with her little lace outfit, made Anakin chuckle. She could be _so_ adorable sometimes.

" _Sure_ , Baby. It's okay. I won't go near your ' _private stash'_ ," Padme drawled, raising her eyebrows at him, motioning with air quotes with her hands as she spoke. "Guys are allowed their secrets, too." Her eyes were twinkling with mirth.

Confused by her remark, Anakin tilted his head to the side and frowned. "Private stash?"

"Oh, come _on_ , Ani! I'm not an idiot," she laughed, shaking her head at him. "You grew up in this house. You were a _teenager_ in this house. And, this is your _'sock drawer'_ ," she used air quotations again as if emphasising a point, then tilted her head at him with her eyebrows quirked up, a teasing grin on her face.

It was only then that Anakin understood what she was insinuating, and his face grew hot in embarrassment. A 'private stash'…of _porn_ , no doubt. He would've laughed if his insides weren't currently squirming about uncomfortably. He couldn't pretend that he had been some sort of wholesome, proper teenager. He'd been… _sexually explorative_ as a teenager, just like any other red-blooded American male at that age, and had definitely had to keep his _private things_ hidden from his mother during those tormenting adolescent years. Only, Padme had it all wrong. It wasn't his sock drawer (though that _was_ used for other purposes), it was underneath his mattress. But, if Padme was willing to believe _that_ , then Anakin was willing to go along with it, if it meant keeping the existence of his grandmother's wedding ring a secret.

"Er...well, I – "

With an impish grin on her face, Padme stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and rose up on her toes to rest her nose against his. "Don't worry, Baby. Your secret's safe with me. I won't go snooping," she assured him, then kissed him quickly and flashed him a wink when she pulled back.

His face still aflame with embarrassment, he decided to change the subject and leaned over to retrieve her coffee and placed it in her hands. "Here, Mom made you some coffee."

Padme beamed happily, grabbing the mug with both hands and eagerly took a sip. " _Ahh_ , a woman after my own heart."

Anakin rolled his eyes at her, but couldn't help kissing her on her nose. "You're ridiculous," he told her, full of affection and giddy with love. _Oh_ , how Anakin adored her when she was like _this_ – all happy and sweet and full of light. He'd _missed_ this side of her. Padme could be incredibly serious sometimes, almost too serious really, and while he admired that about her, he missed her playfulness.

"Ridiculously in love with coffee," she responded cheekily, scrunching up her nose and poking out her tongue at him.

"Hey!" Anakin cried in mock-offense, crossing his arms over his chest and frowning. "I thought you were supposed to be in love with **_me_** , not Starbucks!"

Padme tilted her head playfully, tapping her fingernails against the mug, and chewed on her lower lip for a few moments, as though she was actually thinking about it, before shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly. "It's a close call. But, I think coffee's the clear winner here," she smirked, watching him through half-hooded eyes. "I mean, it's always... _hot_ and _steamy..._ and ready for me first thing _every_ morning, and it's _always_ there to keep me _warm_ and… _sated_...during all those long, lonely, stressful nights at Harvard…" her voice trailed off each word suggestively, and she rolled her eyes to the ceiling first before dropping her gaze back to his own and winking at him with a coquettish smile.

"Is that so?" He huffed, raising his eyebrows, and suddenly, he snatched the coffee right out of her hands, placing it roughly on his desk, before lunging at her with a low growl deep in his throat, tackling her backward onto the bed. Padme's peals of laughter filled the room, as he pinned her down on his mattress with his body, holding her arms above her head with his large hands, his knees bracing her hips snugly. Their faces were barely a hair's breadth apart from each other, and Anakin could feel her warm breath ghosting over his lips, her doe eyes sparkling with desire, as her chest heaved upward from her continued laughter, brushing her peaked nipples in a barely there caress against his cotton covered chest. Anakin gloried at the contact and shifted both of her wrists into one of his large hands, bringing his other hand over to slide his fingers suggestively down her arm and side, making her shiver with want.

"Mmhmm," she mumbled back, provocatively. "What are you going to _do_ about it, Skywalker?" Her throaty voice was barely a whisper but dripped with fervent _heat._

He rubbed his nose gently along her own, his lustful gaze never leaving hers, as his lips ghosted over her parted mouth, his hand continuing its slow slide down her side, over her hip and snuck inside her red lace panties, swiping his fingers in a feather light touch along her feminine folds. She was already dripping wet for him, and he grinned wolfishly, rubbing his thumb in slow, deliberate circles over her engorged bundle of nerves, causing her to mewl in pleasure. As expected, her eyelids began to flutter, her nipples hardened further against him, and she arched her back slightly, pushing her hips closer against his hand, seeking _more_ of that delicious friction.

"I'm going to remind you of just _who_ you belong to, Angel," he whispered hoarsely, before sealing his lips to hers, his tongue invading the warm, sweet depths of her mouth to claim her, as she opened up for him. The subtle hint of coffee lingered in her mouth as he kissed her, almost roughly, and she returned his passion eagerly, her teeth snagging on his lips. Anakin let go of her wrists, and her hands quickly weaved themselves into his hair, tightening into little fists and pulling his face as close to hers as possible. Anakin smirked against her mouth and continued his torturous little circles over her clit, thrilling in the low, erotic sounds she made and the way her body moved so naturally against his.

It was only when the need to breathe once more became necessary that they pulled away, both panting heavily, and Anakin grinned down at her, his eyes sweeping over her flushed cheeks, passion hooded eyes, and kiss-swollen lips with predatory pride.

"So, are you going to admit I'm right or are you going to be stubborn?" he teased in a rough voice, waggling his eyebrows at her playfully.

Padme sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and blinked up at him with her large, brown eyes, remaining silent.

Rolling his eyes, Anakin shook his head and sighed dramatically. "Stubborn it is, then. Looks like I'm gonna have to persuade you."

Ducking his head, he pressed a series of wet kisses along the elegant slope of her neck, slowly making his way down towards her collarbone. Each little nip of his teeth against her skin caused Padme to emit those glorious mewls of hers that drove Anakin wild, and he felt his cock begin to swell in his sweatpants. Padme, it seemed, noticed too, because she pushed her hips upwards, effectively rubbing herself against his growing erection. Anakin couldn't help but laugh against her skin. She was truly _terrible_ at being nonchalant.

He made his way slowly, tantalizingly down her chest, stopping briefly to lazily lick at a puckered nipple through the lace that covered her breasts, down further over her satin covered belly, until his nose was pressed right up against her core, rubbing slowly against her panties. He could smell her arousal against the dampened cloth, and it only served to make him throb harder in his pants. But, this wasn't about _him._ This morning was about pleasing _her_ , and there was _nothing_ Anakin enjoyed doing more than bringing his Angel pleasure.

"Mmm, you smell divine, Angel," he whispered, his voice dripping with _need_. Oh, how he wanted to taste her, but he also wanted to make her suffer, tease her _just a little_ , because it only made her pleasure that much sweeter when he did.

Sitting up on his knees, he withdrew his fingers from her and slowly slid her panties down her slender legs and tossed them to the floor. He took a moment to admire the sight of her, all flushed and aroused, breasts heaving with every breath, legs spread wide before him, her chestnut hair a wild, curly mess fanned out above her head. "You're _so_ beautiful," he told her, reverently, unable to keep from bending to kiss her again, just because he _could._ At times, he still couldn't believe that this was all real… that _she_ had chosen _him._ She was the single greatest thing in his life, and he was _so_ damn lucky to have her, and even though he wasn't perfect, he'd spend the rest of his life showing her just _how much_ he loved her. No matter what.

"… Ani…" she muttered a soft moan of protest against his mouth, forcing him to refocus his attention back to pleasuring her.

He beamed impishly and shuffled back down her body so his face was between her spread legs. She was pink and glistening, her downy curls framing her folds invitingly, and the arousing sight was too much for Anakin to hold back any longer. Slowly, he licked a long, gentle stroke up her slit, gathering her sweet nectar on his tongue as he did so. A satisfied sigh escaped Padme's lips at the intimate contact, and Anakin smiled to himself before continuing his task. He slid his hands around her hips to cup her bottom in his warm palms, anchoring her to his mouth, as he continued to lap at her, alternating between wide, broad strokes against her lips and quick, pointed flicks against her swollen clit, until she was writhing against his face, one hand scrunched up in his hair, the other fisted in the sheets of his bed. His name fell repeatedly from her lips in strained whispers, undulating her hips against his face, encouraging his actions, and Anakin eagerly obliged. He _loved_ being able to pleasure her this way, and a surge of masculine pride swelled within him as he did so.

It didn't take long before she fell right over the edge, slapping her hand over her mouth to muffle a sharp cry. Anakin stroked her hips softly, gently helping her ride out her orgasm, until she slumped back on the bed, exhausted and sated. Smirking, he crawled back up her body and kissed her deeply, before rolling onto his side next to her, resting his palm against her flat belly, draping his leg heavily over her thighs, and brushed his lips against her temple tenderly.

"Ready to admit it now?" he asked, teasingly, his blue eyes dancing with affection.

With a sappy smile, Padme twisted her head to look into his eyes. "I'm yours, Ani," she said simply, without flare or dramatics and then curled snugly into his side, his leg still draped over hers. "All yours."

Anakin stroked her hair lazily, keeping the other curved possessively over her hip, his fingers playing absently with the hem of her babydoll. "Good," he hummed, happy to hear the words he never tired of hearing come out of her mouth, even though he already knew them. Try as he might to suppress his jealous tendencies, he couldn't help it. He was still a man in love, and hearing her validate it stroked his masculine ego.

"I love you, Anakin," she muttered quietly against his skin. "You know that, right?"

Surprised by her sudden confession, he glanced down to see her blinking up at him, her head resting on his shoulder. There was a strange expression on her face, a sadness in her eyes that confused him. "Of course, Angel. Why would you say that?"

She shrugged, "I just…wanted to make sure you knew that. I mean, I don't – I'm not as… _good_ , at expressing my feelings as you are, or as good at all that romantic stuff, and I just – I don't want you to feel like I don't love you just as much as you love me, y'know?" Her words came out quickly, like she was embarrassed, and Anakin beamed at her, overcome with affection.

"I don't think that at all, Padme," he assured her, sincerely, before swooping down to kiss her softly. When he pulled back, she was smiling again, her eyes moist, and she looked so beautiful that it made Anakin physically _ache_.

"Well… _good_. That's good, then," she gave a small laugh and snuggled back into Anakin's side, draping her arm across his torso.

They remained that way for several long, lazy minutes, sharing soft nuzzling kisses, until Padme moved off of him to find her discarded panties on the floor, and Anakin was disappointed to say the least when she stood up and pulled them up her shapely legs and threw her pale blue robe over her shoulders, sliding it on and tying it securely at the waist, his white socks still encasing her feet.

"C'mon," she said, retrieving her coffee from the desk and taking a sip. "We can't stay up here forever." She flashed him a grin over the rim of her mug and headed for the door.

Grudgingly, Anakin got up and followed her out of his room and downstairs for breakfast, the smell of bacon frying wafting up and making his stomach growl. On the contrary, he could have _happily_ stayed up in his room with Padme for the rest of his life and been thoroughly content. _Especially_ if it meant skipping out on having dinner with Ben tonight. Oh, how he was _dreading_ the evening that was to come.

It was a disaster in the making, he just _knew_ it.


	39. Chapter 39

_**A/N: Well... If the last chapter was fluffy and cute, then THIS chapter is practically the opposite. No fluff. Not cuteness. Lots of angst. So, basically, my cup of tea :D**_

 _ **I hope you enjoy! xx**_

* * *

"Do you think they want to tell us about the pregnancy?" Padme whispered in Anakin's ear as they sat in the backseat of his mother's car. Normally, Anakin would have just walked the few blocks to Ben's house, but Cliegg had insisted that they drive, afraid that the walk would be too much for Shmi, for she was fatigued most of the time now due to the chemo treatments. Since the ride was for his mother's benefit, Anakin didn't really mind.

Shrugging his shoulders, Anakin just frowned sullenly. "No idea." He couldn't care _less_ whyBen wanted them over for dinner. Because whatever meagre reason he had would just force Anakin to lie even more to his loved ones right in front of them, and for _that_ , he couldn't forgive him. He just wanted this night to be over with as soon as possible.

Padme clicked her tongue, picking up on his attitude and raised an eyebrow at him. "Ani, what's your problem? You've been in a weird mood all day. Is something wrong? "

Anakin flicked his gaze over at his girlfriend and then quickly looked down at his lap. "I haven't got a problem," he snapped, curtly.

Her small hand snuck across to his knee to squeeze it, but he jerked it away brusquely. "Ani, _don't_ – " she said, firmly, keeping her voice hushed.

"Quit nagging me, Padme," he bit back through clenched teeth, his eyes flicking to the front seat to make sure his mother wasn't watching. "It's getting on my nerves."

Huffing, Padme crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from him, crossing her legs and half turning her back to him to stare out the window. " _You're_ getting on _my_ nerves, Anakin!" she hissed under her breath. "Something's bothering you. I know there is, and you're not telling me. I'm not _stupid,_ you know!" She locked her jaw and stared determinedly out the window.

"Never said you were – "

"Well, you're treating me like I am! What isit that you won't tell me?" She whipped her head around to glare at his profile.

He raised his head to look at her and frowned at the unimpressed expression on her face. Her eyes were narrowed into slits and her lips pursed into a thin line. In that moment, he wanted to tell her _everything_ , wanted to get it _all_ off of his chest. Anakin hated fighting with her like this, lying to her, disappointing her. But, he _couldn't._ He couldn't tell her. It was bigger than him, bigger than _her_ … if the truth came out, it could destroy _everything_. And, Anakin couldn't risk putting his Angel's life in danger like that.

So, he lied. Again.

"I'm just really tired, Angel, okay?" he muttered quietly, _hoping_ the use of his affectionate nickname for her would soften her resolve. "I had a terrible sleep last night, and I don't really feel like socialising with everyone tonight. Okay?"

Padme slumped her shoulders and sighed heavily. "You didn't have to snap at me, y'know. I was just worried about you, Ani."

He reached over to take her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, and twining their fingers together. "I know. It wasn't fair of me to take it out on you, and I'm sorry." He leaned over to kiss her cheek softly, rubbing his nose gently along her jaw, feeling incredibly guilty for lashing out at her. But, he'd _never_ been very good at keeping his emotions in check, and all of this lying and secrecy was causing a deep rage to boil below the surface of his skin. It was almost _too_ much for him, and the anxiety he felt about this dinner with Ben was only adding more fuel to the furnace. Honestly, if he could have skipped it, he would have.

If Padme accepted his apology, she didn't say anything, and spent the remainder of the short car ride staring glumly out of the window. Her hand remained in his, though, which gave Anakin _some_ sort of comfort, but he knew that she hadn't forgiven him just yet. A glum silence settled in between them for the rest of the drive, but Anakin was somewhat grateful for it. At least he didn't have to _lie_ to her if they were silent. Still, he was glad when they pulled up out front of Ben's house, parked, and climbed out of the car. The early evening air felt good on his flushed skin, and he took several calming breaths as they headed up the walkway to the front door.

Cliegg rang the doorbell, and Satine opened the door enthusiastically, glowing with happiness as only a pregnant woman can. She beamed at them brightly, her pale blue eyes sparkling and welcomed them all cheerfully into their home. Though Anakin knew she was three months along in her pregnancy, she was barely showing; her long, flowing white maxi dress adorned with elegant floral patterns of blues and purples concealing the tiny bump he could only _just_ notice. He had a gut feeling, Satine would be one of those women whose body hardly changed while she was pregnant, and he suspected she would retain her tall, willowy build even into the ninth month. There was just this air of grace and elegance about her, as though she was royalty, and Anakin couldn't begrudge Ben for quickly falling in love with her, even if he _was_ married to someone else.

As Satine ushered them inside the foyer graciously, a flash of dark hair suddenly flew downstairs and stopped abruptly before Anakin.

"Anakin!"

His eyes quickly refocused to see Ahsoka standing before him. She'd grown taller again, since the last time he'd seen her at Christmas, and her figure suddenly held more feminine curves. A small diamond stud glittered on her outer left nostril, there was a silver stud in the middle of her ear, and the tips of her black hair were dyed blue, and he noted the presence of makeup on her eyes and lips and cheekbones, something she hadn't really worn before. He was surprised to see such dramatic changes on her young face, but at least her large, turquoise eyes remained the same; wide, round and innocent. Eyes…he suddenly realised, she'd inherited from her father.

 _Their father._

Anakin knew he took after his father in appearance; where his mother was brunette and brown-eyed, Anakin had always been blonde and blue-eyed. He could recall many times where Shmi would tuck him into bed as a child and stroke his hair, murmuring softly how beautiful he was, _'just like your father'._ Anakin _hated_ that he resembled his father, knowing that it probably only broke Shmi's poor heart every time she looked at him, reminded her of the _horrible_ life she had lived while being married to _him._ But, it seemed, his father's genes were strong, for although Ahsoka looked Latina, she had those same, Skywalker light blue eyes…just like Anakin.

 _How_ had he never seen it before? Now that he _knew_ , it was amazing that he'd never put two and two together before.

As he looked at her, he was suddenly gripped with fierce emotion. _Sister._ She was his baby sister. And even though he'd always thought of her like that, it suddenly seemed more real…more, _definitive._ They were _literally_ the same flesh and blood… well, _almost_ , and despite how angry and upset he was at Ben for keeping something so monumentally important from him all these years, he couldn't help but feel a sense of… _joy,_ too _._ For years, he'd thought he'd been alone in the world, with Shmi as his only blood family. But now…now he had a _sister._

"Jeez, Skyguy, I know it's been a few months since we've seen each other, but I didn't think you'd actually _forget_ what I looked like!"

His attention was instantly brought back to the teenaged girl in front of him, and he smirked at the way she stood with her hand on her cocked hip and one eyebrow raised, questioningly.

"Huh?" he spluttered, unceremoniously, shaking his head.

"Quit staring at me! I haven't changed _that_ much, _god_. You're looking at me like I've suddenly grown horns on my head!" A teasing smirk lifted the corners of her lips, and Anakin couldn't help but return it.

"Sorry, Snips. Guess I just forgot what you looked like, seeing as it's been _so long._ How old are you again? Ten?" He couldn't help teasing her.

Ahsoka gave a dramatic sigh and rolled her eyes, fixing him with a pout, though he could tell that she was partially amused. "I'm _fifteen_ , you jerk," she punched him none-too-gently in the arm.

Suddenly, he was filled with a strong need to _hug_ her, and he reached out and caught her arm as she withdrew it from her punch, and pulled her into his chest, enveloping her in a crushing bear hug. At first, she was surprised by his action, but soon her arms went around his waist and she hugged him back. Anakin rested his chin against the top of her head and mumbled softly, "It's so good to see you, Snips."

"You, too," she whispered into his chest, so quietly that only he could hear it.

They broke apart after a few moments, and Anakin was surprised at the tears that were welling up in his eyes. So was Padme, for she took his hand in hers and blinked up at him in question, a look of mild concern on her face. Unable to explain himself (lest he give anything away), he just shook his head, shrugged his shoulders, and gave her a small smile. She gently squeezed his hand, which he reciprocated, and they turned to look at everyone else.

Ben suddenly appeared from the back of the house to stand beside Satine, his arm snaking around her waist affectionately. Anakin froze at the sight of him, his face hardening into a scowl and his hands clenching into fists. A tight grimace pulled at his lips as he all but _glared_ at the man who had, only a few short days ago, completely _ruined_ his life. Of course, Anakin knew he'd _had_ to keep it a secret… it was his job. He'd done it to protect Anakin and his family, and for _that_ , at least, Anakin _was_ grateful. But, Anakin still couldn't help but feel _betrayed._ He had to wonder to himself: _could_ he trust Ben anymore? Were they even _friends_ anymore? He wasn't sure.

Everything was different now.

Suddenly, their eyes locked, sea-green met bright blue, and a sort of silent conversation passed between them, undetected by the others present. Anakin noticed the clear despair in those sea-green eyes, and could _almost_ hear Ben's apology in the silence. _"I'm sorry, Anakin,"_ his eyes told him. " _Please forgive me._ " And, as much as Anakin _wanted_ to, wanted to forgive and forget and cast everything aside, he found he couldn't. Not yet anyway, and if he was honest, he didn't know if he _ever_ would. He'd have to keep this wretched secret until the threat of his past had totally disappeared, and there was simply no telling _when_ that time would come, if _ever_ in his lifetime.

He felt a deep pang of sorrow unexpectedly at the thought.

After a moment, Ben looked away and greeted the rest of his guests, thanking them for attending at such short notice. Shmi beamed and shook her head, handing over a bottle of an imported Australian red wine they'd stopped at a wine shop to purchase on the way over.

"Nonsense, Obi-Wan! It was lovely to be invited for dinner. It's been _too_ long. Thank you both for having us."

Satine took the bottle from Shmi and smiled warmly, before giving it to Ben. "Thank you so much, Shmi. But, I'm afraid only Obi will be able to drink this. I'm not supposed to drink alcohol at the moment."

"Oh? How come?"

Satine and Ben shared a secret smile with each other, before Satine placed a hand over her belly, where the tiny evidence of her baby bump showed under her flowing dress. " _Well,_ Obi and I are expecting a baby!" The tall, blonde mother-to-be positively beamed, as Ben leaned over and gently kissed her temple, a small smile continuing to play on his lips.

An outburst of excited cries and cheers erupted from both Shmi and Padme – the latter of whom was only pretending to be surprised as per Anakin's instructions – and they gathered around Satine, hugging her fiercely and inquiring about the pregnancy and wishing the parents-to-be all the best. Cliegg stepped over and heartily shook Ben's hand, slapping him good naturedly on the back in congratulations. Anakin stood back, keeping his eyes squarely on Ben, as the rest of the family smothered Satine in affection. The man blinked a few times, clearly uneasy, and then shook his head, and returned his focus to his lover. As Anakin watched him, he was surprised by the fondness and _love_ clearly evident in the older man's expression, as he gazed upon the mother of his unborn child. Ben _truly_ loved Satine, Anakin knew, and regardless of the current… _tension_ between them, he knew that Ben would make a _wonderful_ father. After all, he had to admit, he'd guided and cared for Ahsoka very well all these years.

"When is the baby due?" Shmi asked with a broad smile on her face.

With her hand still resting on her stomach, Satine replied, "Late September."

Shmi placed her hand on Satine's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Well, congratulations! To _both_ of you. The two of you will certainly be wonderful parents! Won't they, Ani?"

The mention of his name made Anakin return from his inner thoughts, and he quickly gave a curt nod of his head and the best smile he could muster, given his current bitter attitude. "Uh, yeah. 'Course. Congratulations."

Satine glanced over at him, and Anakin had never seen such despair in her eyes before. Such misery. She must have known – about his… _confrontation_ with Ben. Of course, she would. Ben might have lied to _Anakin_ for most of his life, but he and Satine were partners. They were _both_ charged with watching over him and his mother and Ahsoka. Obviously, he would have told her. Still, it didn't make it any easier on _Anakin_ knowing that. Seeing Satine regard him with such – was that _pity?_ – made him feel utterly wretched. She'd always been such a kind and gentle woman. He _hated_ that he was disappointing her, hurting her, like _this._ In that moment, he dearly _wished_ Ben had never told him the truth.

Soon, everyone migrated into the dining room, the women chattering on about the baby all the while, and everyone took their seats while Satine went back into the kitchen to check on dinner. Anakin had to admit, whatever was cooking certainly _smelled_ delicious. Ben opened the bottle of red wine Shmi had brought over and went to pour all the adults a glass while telling Ahsoka to go get a Coke from the fridge. Anakin declined, though, opting for a glass of ice water instead. He liked white wine just fine, but he _hated_ red wine with a passion, and while he could _definitely_ go for a scotch on the rocks at the present moment – to help him cope with the tumultuous emotions coursing inside him, he decided against that idea.

It grew silent again, as Anakin, Padme, Ahsoka, Shmi, Cliegg and Ben took their seats at the dining table and waited for Satine. Anakin didn't want to speak. Not to anyone. He just wanted to sit in silence for the rest of the evening, eat his meal quickly, and pretend that he wasn't even there, and then lose himself for the rest of the night in making love to Padme when they returned home in order to simply forget about the entire thing. Ben, however, as their host, was of a totally different opinion, and started up small talk with Padme immediately, inquiring about her studies.

"So, Padme, how are things at Harvard? You'd almost be finished about now, wouldn't you?"

Nodding vigorously, Padme smiled happily, her brown eyes lighting up with what Anakin could only describe as excitement. "Yes! I graduate in early June! So, two more months! I can't hardly wait!" The way she said it, almost bouncing in her seat from eager anticipation made Anakin smile with pride. He knew how terribly stressed she was, how much her final semester was taxing on her, and also how keen she was to _finally_ graduate. She'd been studying almost nonstop at Harvard since she'd graduated from her private boarding school, going straight into her double degree of Political Science and Communications, which she was completing at an Honours level. Though tremendously proud of her, he realized with sudden clarity that she _desperately_ needed a break – a holiday, before jumping full steam into a job search. _Maybe someplace warm and exotic,_ he mused privately. Some much needed time away from work and school where she could just rest and relax for a good week or two…

Ben smiled kindly at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling with fondness, a grin creasing his lips. He'd _always_ liked Padme, Anakin knew. Ben truly respected her and thought she was a good influence on him, which wasn't wrong – since he'd been with her, Anakin had changed _so much_ as a person, and _definitely_ for the better. And for _that_ , he couldn't thank her enough. She truly was an angel in his eyes, that way. _His_ Angel.

"How exciting! So close!" Ben exclaimed. "Do you have any plans for after graduation? Anything you've set your sights on?"

Almost immediately, Anakin noticed the sudden change in Padme's expression; from hope to something resembling despair. Her eyes dropped quickly, glancing down at her lap, and she nervously took a sip from her wine glass. Next to her, Anakin could practically _hear_ the gears turning in her head, whirring at a thousand miles an hour. Instinctively, he reached over under the table and placed his hand on her thigh, giving it an encouraging and affectionate squeeze.

"Uh…well, not exactly. I'm still…figuring things out." She glanced frantically at Anakin as she said the words, and he soothed her with a sweet smile and another affectionate squeeze of her thigh.

Ben nodded. "Of course. It's always quite daunting to think about life after college, isn't it? There's so many directions your life can take. So many options suddenly available to you," he said wisely, clasping his hands together on the table. Anakin gritted his teeth in irritation. Ben had _no idea_ what he was talking about. _He'd_ never been to college… _Obi-Wan Kenobi_ had been to college, but that person didn't actually exist.

"Or, no options at all…" Padme muttered under her breath, stricken with sudden worry.

Chuckling, Ben just shook his head. "Don't worry, Padme. You're a bright, intelligent young woman, and a hard worker to boot. You'll be snapped up pretty quickly, I'd reckon."

Unable to stop himself, Anakin frowned and blurted out rudely, "And what would _you_ know about it?"

Ben coughed and fixed Anakin with an ice cold glare, while Padme, Shmi, and Cliegg all stared at him incredulously. Ahsoka's eyes widened in surprise, and she shot a furtive glance between Anakin and Ben, but she didn't say anything.

" _Anakin!_ I'm surprised at you!" Shmi cried out, her eyes accusatorial, clearly _shocked_ to hear her son speak that way. "Obi-Wan studied philosophy at Cambridge! I'm sure he is _very_ knowledgeable about college experiences! You should listen to him!"

With a good-natured laugh, Ben shook his head and smiled. "It's alright, Shmi. Anakin has a point. I didn't exactly find a job in my field of study after I finished my philosophy degree, after all. Perhaps my advice isn't something either Padme _or_ Anakin should listen to."

Anakin had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at the smooth response. Obviously, Ben was very, _very_ good at his job. He seemed to have an explanation and answer for everything. _Good save._

" _Obi, dear?_ " Satine's voice floated in from the kitchen.

Ben lifted his head immediately at the sound of her voice, turning his head toward the kitchen door. "Yes, love?"

" _Could you come and help me get the lamb out of the oven, please? It's too heavy for me to lift_!"

"Of course, love! Coming!" He excused himself from the table and hurried into the kitchen to help her, leaving an uncomfortable silence at the table.

Seated at his right hand, Padme fixed Anakin with a fierce scowl and leaned over toward him and muttered under her breath. " _What_ was that all about?"

Grumbling at yet _another_ pestering question, he turned his head away from her. "What?!"

The expression on her face made him shrink in his seat as she glared stubbornly at him, lips set into a firm grimace, dark eyes flashing in annoyance. " _Why_ were you so rude to Obi-Wan? He was just being nice, trying to make me feel better about graduation! What is _wrong_ with you tonight?!"

"I told you," he hissed under his breath, his own eyes darkening with anger. "I _don't_ want to be here! I'd rather be at home, with you…"

Scoffing, Padme rolled her eyes. "If you think I want to be with you when you're in _this_ foul of a mood, you're in over your head!"

"Right, like _you're_ never moody," he bit back with a snarky remark.

"Don't you _dare_ start! Not in _public_ , Anakin! Stop acting so immature! Sometimes, being an adult means doing things you don't want to but have to do anyway."

Scowling, Anakin stared down at his lap, more irritated than ever. "I don't need a lecture from you, Padme. Just leave me alone, will you?!"

"Fine! I will!" she huffed and shifted her body so that she was angled away from him, presenting him with a partial view of her upper back. Anakin felt bad that they were fighting - and that _he_ instigated it, but he was simply _too_ frustrated and angry and emotional to do anything about it. Being _here_ , in _this_ situation, when his emotions were still _raw_ , was just too much for him. All he wanted to do was go home.

Ben and Satine returned a few minutes later, carrying the tray of herbed roast lamb, sautéed potatoes, roasted butternut squash, steamed fresh broccoli in a butter sauce, and a basket of fresh, warm ciabatta bread with olive oil for dipping. The delightful aroma of rosemary and garlic quickly filled the room and brightened Anakin's mood _just_ a little – for he was certainly a lover of good food, and Satine, he knew, was a _fabulous_ cook. Polite small talk erupted around the table as they helped themselves to the hearty meal, with Ben inquiring after the wedding, and Cliegg praising Satine for her exquisite culinary skills. Padme pleasantly joined in the conversation; however, Anakin – and _Ahsoka_ , he noticed as he glanced beside him to his left – uttered not a single word the entire meal.

Surprised by her unusual meekness, Anakin studied Ahsoka as he ate. There was an air of misery hanging about her, in the way she picked at her food and stared at her plate with a glum expression. Concern for her filled him, and he tried to start conversation with her, but she hardly responded, giving no indication of what was bothering her. Anakin was worried. Despite the fact that she'd _insisted_ she hadn't changed much, Anakin almost didn't recognise her. The Snips _he'd_ known at Christmas – feisty, vibrant, sarcastic… _childlike_ , had been replaced by this solemn, gloomy, darker version that Anakin didn't like at all. The surprising changes in her appearance… they were the outward mark of something _much_ greater going on inside, some inner turmoil that she was facing, and trying to hide…and Anakin vowed to get to the bottom of it, his big brother instincts instantly kicking into high gear.

He vaguely wondered if she _knew…_ if Ben had told her the truth. No, probably not. Anakin assumed she didn't know, because honestly, she was _so much_ like himself, if she'd discovered she'd had a brother all this time that she'd not known about before, she would have run to him immediately and told him so. The thought that Ben hadn't told Ahsoka about her true parentage angered Anakin to no end. It wasn't right to keep that big of a secret from her. She was old enough to know. She _deserved_ to know the truth.

Once dinner was over and everyone had polished off their dessert of homemade chocolate lava cake topped with vanilla ice cream served with coffee, Satine stood up and began to clear away the empty plates, when Ben stopped her, kissing her cheek fondly. "Don't be silly, love. You sit down and look after yourself. _You_ did all the cooking, after all. I'll clear the plates."

Rolling her eyes, Satine smiled. "Now that I'm pregnant, Obi treats me like I'm an invalid," she explained in mock-exasperation. "I'm not allowed to do _anything_ by myself anymore, it seems."

Ben frowned at her, seriously. "You've got enough to do, love. You're nurturing our baby. The least I can do is make sure you're well taken care of."

The exchange was sweet, even Anakin had to admit, but his current position with regard to Ben was unchanged, chivalrous attitude or not.

"Ani, can you please be a dear and help Obi-Wan with the plates?" Shmi asked him with a pointed look.

Not wanting to upset his mother, Anakin nodded his head respectfully in affirmation with a quiet, "Yes, Ma'am," and helped to gather the empty plates, as Satine, his parents, and Padme left the table and drifted into the living room. He followed Ben into the kitchen, a deep scowl on his face. The entire dinner had been a charade, some desperate attempt to appeal to Anakin's emotions and make it seem like Ben was doing the right thing. But, Anakin was over it, and he said as much once in the relative privacy of the kitchen.

"Are you done now?!" Anakin growled angrily, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning up against the wall. "Are you pleased with your little charade tonight?"

With a frown, Ben turned around from where he was loading the dishwasher and sighed, a deep look of disapproval on his face. " _Anakin_ …"

"Do you have _any_ fucking idea - _any_ damn clue - what it's like for _me_ right now?! To sit there," he motioned with his warm toward the dining room, "with my _mother_ in the room, and have to lie straight to her face like _this?!_ "

Ben sighed and rubbed his beard, peering at Anakin with sad eyes. "I'm truly _sorry_ that you are in this position, Anakin…"

" _You_ put me in this position!" Anakin snarled, throwing his arms wide in utter frustration. "What was the _point_ of all this anyway? To test how well I can hold my fucking tongue?!"

"No. Satine wanted…she wanted to announce the pregnancy. I couldn't say no to her about that. Besides, I thought...hoped, really...that _maybe_ this would be good for us. That it might help us - you and me - to get back to normal."

Anakin snorted rudely and rolled his eyes. "Back to _normal?!_ No fancy dinners or fake happy gatherings are going to make things like they were before. Nothing changes the fact that you _lied_ to me for ten years! I can't just let that go, Ben!"

Perhaps it was the finality of his tone that made Ben stop suddenly, his entire face dropping. "Maybe not _now,_ Anakin. But in time, I believe you'll forgive me, and that you'll understand that I did what I had to do."

Shaking his head, Anakin just sighed. "No. I don't know if I will… if I _can_. How do you expect me to keep _this_ a secret - from _all_ my loved ones - for the _rest_ of my life? Answer me that, Ben. _How?!_ "

"Look, I _know_ it's hard, Anakin. Trust me, I _do_ know," Ben's voice was pained, and Anakin felt a small, pang of sympathy for him. "I've wanted to tell you _everything_ since I was first assigned to your case. But, it was too important. And, if _you_ say anything, it'll put all your loved ones' lives in danger. It's just better for them if they don't know."

"Padme's already suspicious," Anakin grumbled. "She keeps asking me questions." He paused for a minute and then looked seriously at the older man. "Y'know, I _do_ plan to marry Padme one day, Ben. Don't you think my future _wife_ would have a right to know this about me, about my family?" he gritted out through clenched teeth, truly annoyed at the thought of having to live their marriage with this lie hanging over them.

Ben chuckled in sudden amusement before answering seriously. "She's a smart girl, that one. But, you have to be vigilant, Anakin. You _can't_ share this information, not even with Padme. It's classified."

"What about _Mom?_ What about _Ahsoka?_ Have you even told _her_ yet?" Anakin demanded angrily.

"Told me what?"

Both Anakin and Ben froze at the sound of Ahsoka's voice. Whipping around quickly, Anakin saw her standing in the doorway to the kitchen, holding the remaining dessert plates and silverware from the dining room table, a curious expression on her face. He glanced over at Ben, whose face had turned almost white and began shifting on the spot and stuttering.

"Uh… n-nothing, Sweetheart… it's just – "

Clenching his jaw, Anakin glared at him. " _Tell her!"_

Ben coughed awkwardly. " _Anakin, I_ …"

"Tell her _now,_ Ben!" Anakin snarled, his voice thick with bubbling anger. He could hardly contain his emotions. Now might not have been the _best_ time to do this, but the opportunity was there, and he _wasn't_ going to let it slip past him. Ahsoka deserved to know the truth. And, she needed to hear it from _Ben._

"She's not old enough," Ben argued, but his protest fell on deaf ears.

"She's more mature than you give her credit for. She needs to know."

Ahsoka coughed loudly, flicking her blue eyes between her guardian and her older brother in complete bewilderment. "I'm _right here_ , y'know. I can hear you talking about me."

Once again, Anakin turned on Ben, his expression unrelenting. "Either you tell her, or I do." The look he shot Ben was pointed. He meant business...and Ben _knew_ it.

"Tell me _what?!"_ the young girl cried out, placing the stack of plates and silverware on the countertop and crossing her arms with a determined pout, her expression, her stance so much like Anakin's it was almost scary.

Sighing deeply in resignation, Ben rubbed the back of his neck and stepped closer to Ahsoka, peering down at her with sadness swimming in his sea-green eyes. "Ahsoka," he muttered softly, full of affection and gentleness, as though that would ease the burden of what he was about to reveal. "Please just know that _everything_ Satine and I have _ever_ done was to protect you. We love you, Sweetheart, as if you were our own flesh and blood. Ok?"

Ahsoka tipped her head to the side. "Obi-wan… _what's_ going on? You're acting really… _strange._ "

He gave her a weak smile. "Remember when you were younger, and you'd ask me about your parents?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember what I told you about your father?"

Sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, Ahsoka lifted her eyes to the ceiling as she concentrated. "Yeah. You told me that my dad was a brave marine, and died abroad before I was born."

"Well…" Ben hesitated briefly, lightly clearing his throat, before continuing. "That's…that's not exactly true."

Her eyes lit up immediately, full of hope, and a broad smile broke out on her young face. "You mean he's alive?! They found him?!"

The sight of her so alive with optimism caused a pang of heartfelt regret deep in Anakin's chest. _The poor girl_. All this time she'd thought her father was some brave war hero, who'd died heroically in service to his country. He _almost_ didn't want her to know who her father _really_ was, to crush her dreams and hopes so quickly. But, she _needed_ to know. Ultimately, it was for her own good, no matter _how_ painful it would be for her to hear it in this moment. There was no time to back down from the truth now.

On observation, Ben was clearly _just_ as stricken as Anakin felt, for it was etched all over his face, in the lines on his forehead and the frown on his lips. He flicked his tormented eyes over to Anakin's own grim gaze quickly, silently accusing him of ruining the perfect image of her father the young teenager before him had built up in her head. Anakin swallowed his guilt and just inclined his head in encouragement.

"Well, _yes_ , he's alive. But, he's not…he's _not_ who you think he is."

"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked quietly, her brows furrowed, confusion clearly etched on her face.

"Your father is _not_ a good man, Ahsoka. Not at all. He's a violent criminal, and he's connected to several drug crime rings in Arizona and is currently being held on a life sentence in a high security federal prison."

A deep frown pulled at her face, shock widening her eyes as she processed this information. "Wait…what?! _NO!_ That _can't_ be true! You're _lying!_ He's…he's a marine!" she implored desperately, tears welling in her eyes as she shook her head furiously, her small hands balling into fists at her side. "He died fighting for our country! He's… he's a _hero!_ "

"No, he's _not!_ He's a _monster!_ " Anakin suddenly blurted out. All eyes turned to fix on him in surprise. He clenched his own fists and closed his eyes, trying to contain the rage and hatred he felt for his father that boiled deep within his soul. "He's a very _dangerous_ man, Ahsoka."

"How do _you_ know?!" she whirled, screaming at him, flailing her arms about helplessly, as tears streamed down her face, dripping on her shirt.

Inhaling deeply, saddened to his very _core_ that he had to break her heart this way, Anakin opened his eyes once more and fixed them straight on her, determined and unwavering.

"Because, he's _my_ father, too, Snips. You're my half-sister."


	40. Chapter 40

_**A/N: Hello my lovely readers! It's been a while hasn't it? Unfortunately, this isn't an indication that I have time to write again. Oh no! Because now I have a full time position as a teacher in a school, and now I'm even busier than I was before. So, even though I'm dying to write again, because I'm soooooo close to finishing this story, I'm afraid I just don't have the time to write at the moment. Perhaps, when I'm on holidays, I'll be able to get stuck into it again. I'm sorry to keep doing this to you. You are such loyal readers and I really appreciate your support! Please stick by me and this story. I promise you, I have not abandoned it in my heart :)**_

* * *

 **Chapter 40**

The silence was almost deafening. Anakin _swore_ he could've heard a pin drop. The air grew thick, tight, hot and uncomfortable, and he could practically _feel_ Ben's eyes scalding the side of his face. But, he didn't notice, because his sole attention was focused on the young teenaged girl standing before him. Ahsoka's face was wide open in obvious confusion; her large, turquoise eyes blinking slowly, incredulously, as her mind tried to wrap around and process the shocking information. It was several long minutes before she came to, lifting her head to stare directly at Anakin. It was an unnerving stare, one that portrayed the significant _hurt_ and _betrayal_ she felt at being kept in the dark about something _this important._ For a moment, Anakin felt relieved that he had told her. Ahsoka deserved to know, after all. It was _her_ family, too.

But, all that relief soon dissipated when hot tears fell from her eyes, sliding down her cheeks in smooth silent rivets. Her mouth opened and closed several times, as though she was struggling to form the words, until a hoarse whisper surged forth, dropping with all the force of a bomb in the stillness.

" _What?!"_

It was as though her _entire_ world had come crashing down around her (which, in essence, it _had)_ – all those beautiful images of her loving parents that she'd built up in her mind over the years had been shattered in an instant, and _all_ Anakin could do was watch helplessly as she completely broke down in front of him. Her whole body was shaking as she repeatedly shook her head, desperately muttering, "No, no, _no!_ " to herself, instinctively curling inwards to block out the sheer overwhelming pain she was feeling.

It was absolutely heartbreaking.

Seeking some sort of comfort and support, he looked over at Ben, only to find those sea-green eyes cold and hard, full of accusation. His mentor didn't speak, only stepped forward to hold his miserable little girl in his arms to try and reassure her.

"Shh, Ahsoka… c'mon, Sweetheart, it's okay. Talk to me," Ben cooed in a soft, gentle voice, but the girl flinched away from him, her eyes shimmering with untampered rage.

"Is it true?" she gritted her teeth and muttered under her breath, a tiny twinge of _hope_ tainting her voice that only caused Anakin's heart to break a little bit more.

Ben flicked his angry gaze over to Anakin, his lips thinned in a bitter grimace before sighing and nodding his head slowly, "…Yes. It's true, Ahsoka. All of it. You and Anakin have the same father." He reached out to cup her cheek in his palm, but she flinched once again, shuffling away from him several steps, acting as though he was about to brand her.

"And you _lied_ to me?!," she spat out aggressively, her eyes narrowing to slits and her top lip trembling. " _All_ this time you've been lying to my face!"

Ben raked a hand through his auburn hair and sighed once more. "It's not like that, Sweetheart. I _only_ wanted to protect you."

"Protect me from _what?!,_ " she shrilled hysterically, tears now streaming freely down her cheeks in her temper. "A monster? The only monster I see here is _YOU!"_

Even _Anakin_ cringed at the devastating blow, but it was _nothing_ compared to Ben's reaction. His entire face fell, his expression practically imploding, and he went white as a sheet, tears staining his eyes, which he fought back with furious blinks.

" _Ahsoka…_ " he begged, his hand outstretched toward her beseechingly.

"You _lied_ to me for 5 years! How _could_ you do that to me? How could you make me believe something so _wonderful_ about my own family, when it was nothing but a _LIE?! A big fat lie!_ "

Anakin gulped, watching the bitter scene unfold before him in immense horror. This _wasn't_ what he'd wanted to happen. None of this was going to plan. Sure, he'd wanted Ahsoka to know the truth about her parentage, but for her to openly _attack_ Ben like this…It wasn't fair. The man was shattered, completely and utterly shattered, and Anakin now realized that it was all _his_ fault. In hindsight, given her reaction, he _shouldn't_ have said anything. He should have _listened_ to Ben. She _wasn't_ ready for this, and Ben had understood that. Now, his family was falling apart, and _he'd_ been the one to instigate it. The guilt he promptly felt was like an anchor weighing him down, and suddenly, Anakin wished he'd _never_ gone to Ben's house that day, _never_ seen Siri Tachi at Ben's door, and _never_ asked _any_ questions about Ben's secret life. He wanted nothing more than to forget it ever happened, to wipe his memory clean, and go back in time and relive that entire afternoon. _If only I'd stayed home and just worked on C3PO._

In an attempt to make amends, to try and soothe Ahsoka's heartache, Anakin tentatively stepped forward and reached out to touch her shoulder. "Ahsoka… _Snips..._ Obi-Wan kept this from you for your own good. To protect you. Being a part of this mess, the mess that _**I**_ went through as a kid…It's _not_ the life he wanted for you."

Snapping her head up, the girl glared at him, reaching out to slap his hand away. " _Shut up! You're_ just as bad as _him!_ " she accused, pointing her finger at Ben, her voice full of venom. " _You_ knew about this, and you never told me! You knew and said _nothing!_ You _lied to me,too!_ "

Swallowing the lump that had risen up in his throat, Anakin raked a hand agitatedly through his hair. "I _wanted_ to tell you as soon as I found out, Ahsoka. I _swear_ to you…"

"I don't know who the _fuck_ to the believe anymore!," she spat out through gnashed teeth. "You can _**all**_ go to hell for all I care!" Then, she turned on her heel aggressively, her thick dark hair almost whipping Anakin in the face as she stormed out of the kitchen and headed upstairs to her bedroom. Ben called out to her, his voice garbled from choking back tears, and went to follow her, but Anakin gripped his arm tightly and shook his head.

"No, Ben. Back off. She needs to be alone right now," he said bitterly, guilt swamping him as they heard her footsteps pounding up the stairs.

The loud _bang_ of Ahsoka's bedroom door slamming shut echoed eerily throughout the house and suddenly, Satine came rushing into the kitchen, her eyes wide with shock and concern as they flicked back and forth between the two men. Padme followed behind her meekly, her dark eyes fixated solely on Anakin, equal parts worry and concern reflected back at him. He shrunk under her questioning gaze – this was definitely _**not**_ something he wanted her to know about, much as he hated the idea of lying to her.

" _What_ happened in here?" Satine demanded of Ben, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning at him. "We heard shouting and then Ahsoka storming upstairs!"

The two men shared a pointed look. Even though, _obviously_ , Satine knew about Ben's secret and Anakin's and Ahsoka's true parentage, Padme, on the other hand, did not. And, they wanted it to stay that way. Anakin pushed his guilt at lying to her aside. It was for her own safety that she remained oblivious to the truth. A silent exchange passed between them, and Ben just shrugged.

"Oh nothing, Love. She just had a bit of a tantrum about having to help with the dishes. You know how much she hates doing chores round here." Ben gave a weak smile and raised his eyebrows. Anakin simply nodded his head, glad of Ben's quick thinking. _Good save, Ben._

If Satine caught onto Ben's hint, she didn't indicate it, but her eyes quickly flicked to Padme ever so slightly. "Hmmm," she sighed, tight-lipped. "Well, I'll have to talk to her about behaving so rudely in front of our house guests."

Anakin shook his head, brushing aside the comment as best he could so as not to draw attention to the enormous fight that had occurred just moments before. "Don't worry about it, Satine. She's a teenager. _All_ teenagers hate chores. I'll have a chat with her," he added, the faintest of smiles on his lips. He knew that _he_ would be the best person to talk to Ahsoka at that moment. They'd always been close, and they shared a strong bond. She'd always looked up to him. Besides that, she was as stubborn as a mule, and Anakin knew that all too well. He was like her big brother – no, he _was_ her big brother, and he knew she would listen to him. She always had. He would make her come around, he just knew it.

Satine graciously thanked him for his offer. "Sometimes it's so hard dealing with teenagers," she lamented with a half smirk and a roll of her eyes, a lamentation Anakin could certainly sympathise with. He'd been _more_ than a handful himself for his mother and Ben during his own reckless teenage years.

"She'll grow out of it," he assured her wholeheartedly. "Don't worry, Satine. She's a good kid. She'll turn out just fine. After all, I did." Anakin shrugged his shoulders again.

Beside him, Ben rolled his eyes and coughed loudly under his breath and muttered, " _Barely_ ," before smirking wryly at Anakin. The attempted humour seemed to soften the tension in the room just a little, and soon all four of them burst out laughing, and for a moment, Anakin thought that maybe… just _maybe_ … things could go back to the way they were before all of this. But, once the laughter died down, and Anakin looked back at Ben, misery and betrayal were still gleaming in his eyes, and the look on his face was one of pinched nervousness.

Ben, Satine, and Padme left the kitchen and headed back into the living room where Shmi and Cliegg still were, leaving Anakin leaning against the kitchen counter alone with his own thoughts. He desperately wanted to make things right with Ahsoka, but he knew that she needed time to cool off. Her temper - _so_ like his own - was hot at the best of times, and he didn't want to make this delicate situation any worse. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a second, before departing the kitchen for the front hallway and traipsing up the stairs towards Ahsoka's bedroom.

As always, loud, obnoxious music echoed through her bedroom door, some sort of indie persuasion that Anakin didn't even recognize. He knocked twice on her door, knuckles rapping sharply against the wood. There was no answer, assumedly because the loud music prevented her from hearing him. So, Anakin knocked again, a bit harder, this time, calling her name.

"Ahsoka? It's me, Anakin. Can I come in?"

Again, no answer. He frowned. This was getting ridiculous. Yeah, she was upset, but now, she was just acting immature. Pouting was childish, and she needed to get over it. " _C'mon,_ Snips, open the damn door," he growled.

When she _still_ didn't respond, Anakin gritted his teeth and slammed his fist against the door, swinging it open with a bang, expecting to hear a cry of outrage from the upset teenager at the invasion of her privacy. Instead, he heard nothing.

The room was empty.

 _Empty?_

Anakin blinked several times, his eyes scanned over the mussed-up bedspread, the piles of clothes strewn haphazardly over the carpet, the posters of popular celebrities plastered on the walls, the speakers blasting ridiculously loud music from on top of the bookshelf.

…And the wide open window letting in the crisp cold night air, fluttering the curtains gently with the incoming breeze.

" _Goddamn it, Snips!_ " Anakin groaned, tugging at his hair in exasperation. She'd run away. As angry as he was about all of this, he couldn't exactly _blame_ her without being hypocritical. _He_ hadn't exactly been the epitome of charming to Ben since finding all of this out either. Besides, God _knows_ how many times _he'd_ run away when he was her age, forcing his mom to call Ben in a panic. And yet, he'd thought she was better than that. Ahsoka had seen firsthand what had happened to _him_ when he was a teenager. Anakin thought she was smarter than him. At least, he'd _hoped_ she'd be smarter than him.

But, now she'd run away from home.

Anakin slammed his fist hard against the wooden post of the doorframe and let out a frustrated howl, before sprinting back downstairs where the rest of the group were sitting in the living room. "She ran away!," he blurted out breathlessly before anyone even had a chance to realise he was there.

Ben stood up immediately, Padme looked shocked, Shmi and Cliegg looked bewildered, and Satine gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth, horror written all over her face.

"What do you mean she ran away?!" she shrilled, her voice weak and high-pitched. Anakin hated to give her such news, to make her so upset in her condition (it couldn't be good for the baby), but at _that_ moment, _all_ he wanted to do was rush out and comb the streets looking for Ahsoka...and talk some sense into her and bring her safely back home.

"The bedroom window's wide open, and she's not in her room. But, don't worry. She's on foot, and she hasn't been gone more than fifteen minutes. She _can't_ have gone far. I'll find her." Anakin tried his best to look and sound reassuring for _all_ of their sakes.

Ben went to grab his coat. "I'm coming with you," he insisted, his eyes hard with determination. Anakin realized that he was worried. Worried about his child. Worried about his family. Understandably so. In his shoes, Anakin realized _he_ would do and say the same thing. And, while Anakin couldn't blame him one bit for that, he also knew that Ben wasn't the right person for Ahsoka to talk to at _this_ moment. She was beyond furious. She felt betrayed. She felt lost and alone. No, right nowshe needed someone who _wasn't_ her parent to comfort her. She needed someone who could _understand_ what she was feeling, who could empathize with her pain, and only _Anakin_ could do that - because _he_ was dealing with the _exact same_ sense of betrayal and hurt that _she_ was. They were siblings. They were both Skywalkers, and they understood each other and needed each other right now in a way _no one else_ could.

"No. It's alright, Ben. I'll find her. You stay here. I don't think you're the best person for her to talk to right now."

When Ben made to protest, Anakin put his hand on his shoulder and gently squeezed and looked him sincerely in the eye. "Don't worry, ok. I'll find her. I promise."

Ben nodded respectfully and tentatively reached out to clap his own hand on Anakin's shoulder, returning the support. "I know."

Nodding his own head, Anakin glanced around the room at everyone silently and then pivoted and went back out into the foyer to retrieve his coat from the coatrack by the door when he was stopped by the sweet, meek voice of Padme.

"Ani…" she called to him softly. "Do you want me to help you find Ahsoka?"

He looked sincerely into her concerned brown eyes and shook his head. "No, Angel. I need to do this alone."

Bottom lip shaking, Padme reached for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Why?"

It was that moment that Anakin was completely torn in two. The agony that keeping his secret was causing him was almost too much for him at this moment. He wanted nothing more than to confide in Padme _everything_ … but he knew he couldn't.

"It's just better that way," he urged her softly, before leaning down to kiss her forehead sweetly, hoping that was enough to keep her at bay. The disbelieving glint in her brown eyes was enough to know that he hadn't fully convinced her, but there was nothing more he could say. With a weak smile, he slipped his arms through his coat and headed out into the crisp night air.


	41. Chapter 41

_**A/N: Seee? I told you I was back (sorta). It's not as quick as I usually update, but I'm doing my very best! :)**_

 _ **I must admit, I was a little upset with some of the responses I've recieved about my slower updating rate :( Writing is one of my favourite things to do, but I do not have the luxury of time anymore, like I did when I was studying. I'm working full time in a new environment, and my job comes first. Plus, I have moved out of home and am living with my boyfriend, so not only do I have to work, but I have to cook, clean, get the washing done, go food shopping and all that other lovely fun stuff that being an adult entails, plus all my after-school coaching commitments. Therefore, my time to write has dwindled down to maybe half an hour a week. Which makes me pretty sad :( If you are unable to sympathise with this, then you are either much better at adulting then me (please give me so tips!) , or you don't understand what it's like.**_

 _ **I'm so grateful to all my faithful readers who wait so patiently for my updates! Thank you so much. Your unwavering support is what keeps me going!**_

 _ **I hope you enjoy this chapter and continue to wait patiently for the next one (which, fingers crossed, shouldn't be too hard).**_

 _ **xx shelivesfree xx**_

* * *

"Ahsoka!" Anakin called out into the darkness of the night, his voice echoing clearly through the crisp evening air, hinting at the slight panic he was feeling. _Damn it, Snips,_ he thought bitterly to himself, as he kicked aimlessly at several loose pebbles along the sidewalk. They scattered away with a dull patter against the concrete, and the noise was somehow calming for him.

"Snips!" He called out again, scanning the surrounding area for _any_ sight of her, but there was none. Sighing, he zipped the front closure of his jacket partway up his chest as protection from the invading chill before shoving his hands in his pockets to warm them up. Then, he continued trudging through the peacefully slumbering neighbourhood. He couldn't quite believe it somehow. All this _chaos_ that had suddenly come crashing into his life in the last couple of days was enough to give him a headache. No, a migraine. A very _painful_ , exhausting migraine. Part of him wanted to curl up in bed and sleep for a week to forget that any of this had _ever_ happened. Another part of him wanted to scream at the top of his lungs at the unfairness of it all.

He opted for aggressively kicking at a nearby lightpost. _Fuck!_ The searing pain in his foot made him regret that decision instantly, as he swore roughly under his breath and limped a few steps forward, slumping his shoulders as he continued to search for Ashoka.

Anakin really shouldn't have been surprised that she'd run away. What other natural response was there for a teenaged girl who's entire _world_ had just been turned upside down by the people she loved and trusted the most? Still, he wanted to wring her neck for putting Ben and Satine through this kind of panic – particularly Satine, as this level of stress couldn't be good for the baby.

And, then there was Padme… the thought of her made him sigh helplessly. He could only imagine how confused she must be feeling right now. The sad look in her beautiful eyes before he'd left had _almost_ broken him. Anakin hated seeing her look like that - especially when _he_ was the cause of it- and he wanted nothing more than to tell her _everything_ , to just clear the air between them and lift this weight off his shoulders. But, he knew he couldn't. At least, not right now.

 _One day,_ he vowed to himself, _I'll tell her everything. Sometime after we're married and settled._ The thought buoyed his downcast spirits just a bit.

It was then, while he was lost in his own thoughts, that he heard the faint, yet distinct sound, of a person sobbing. Tilting his head to the side, he sharpened his focus and followed the noise towards the empty skate park. There, perched on top of one of the ramps, was a shadowy figure, hunched over in a crouch, one leg idly swinging slowly back and forth.

"Snips?" Anakin headed up the ramp cautiously and approached her warily. Oh, yeah. He could tell it was her, he'd know her silhouette anywhere.

She sniffled, but didn't say anything, ignoring him. Deciding it would be better to let her open up to him when she was ready, Anakin merely took his place beside her. Neither of them said a word for what felt like an eternity. Anakin stared out across the empty skate park. Memories of his teenaged years spent hanging out here late at night came flooding back to him, and he scowled. Those weren't fond memories. Not at all. Actually, he tried to forget them. This wasn't a sanctuary for him; it never had been. It had been a place of hate, of rage, of regret, and it worried him that Ahsoka had chosen _here_ of all places to escape to. He let out a shuddered breath.

She was more like him than she knew...than _they_ knew. _Two peas in a pod._

Eventually, the silence grew to be too much for him to bear, and Anakin broke it, twisting his head to look at her silhouetted profile. "I'm sorry."

She glanced over at him, the dim light of the streetlight down the road illuminating her large, turquoise eyes so they shone eerily in the darkness. "That's all I get?" she barked back, deep scowl lines etched across her face.

"I don't know what else I _can_ say," Anakin replied honestly with a half shrug.

Rolling her eyes, Ahsoka brought both of her knees up to her chest and rested her head on them, gazing forlornly ahead. "Why did you even come after me?" she asked bitterly.

Anakin frowned. "Because I fucking care about you, Ahsoka!" he growled back, throwing his hands up in the air aggressively. "I'm so fed _up_ with your attitude. I understand you're hurt and upset, but that's no reason to hurt the people who love you!"

"What about _me_ , huh?" she fired back venomously. " _They've_ hurt me! _You've_ hurt me!" She jabbed the air with her index finger pointed at him.

Sighing, Anakin raked a hand through his hair and shook his head slowly. "Maybe they did, Snips. But, did you _ever_ stop to think that they kept the truth from you to _protect you?..._ Because, I don't know, maybe they fucking _love_ you?!"

Hot tears pooled in her eyes again, spilling over the edge and sliding down her cheeks silently. "They don't _love_ me," she whispered hoarsely. "They love how _loving me_ makes _them_ feel."

Her words made him scoff. "Are you _listening_ to yourself right now, Snips?! Do you hear the _crap_ that's coming out of your mouth?! That's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard."

"Is _not!_ Love doesn't exist!" she argued back fiercely, as more tears streamed down her face. " _All_ people do is lie to your face and stab you in the back!" Her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white, and she abruptly turned away from him so that all he could see was her thick, dark hair spooling down her back.

Her sudden outburst had Anakin confounded. Something - or _someone -_ had hurt her...badly, and it was something way more than just the realisation of her true parentage. Whatever it was, tonight's revelation had merely been the final straw for her. Anakin could practically sense the deep despair that surged within her, could see it in the way her body shook with each ragged, sobbing breath. At that moment, he just wanted to pull the girl into his arms and hug her so tightly, to protect her from whatever demons haunted her mind…

Instead, he reached forward and lightly touched her shoulder. " _Ahsoka_ …" he muttered softly, gently, trying to coax her out from behind her stiff walls and open up to him. "What happened. Tell me."

She snorted insolently. "I don't need to _tell_ you. You heard. You were there," she bit back sharply, but he just shook his head.

"No, not that," he probed. "Something else has happened. Someone hurt you. I can tell."

She didn't respond, nor did she turn around. But, Anakin decided to be patient and continued to persist.

"Come on. _Talk_ to me, Snips. I can help you, y'know."

"No, you _can't_ ," she said in a meek, deadly soft voice, a voice he hadn't heard from her in _years_. It sounded so young and innocent and vulnerable that he was instantly reminded of who she _used_ to be – that smartassed little girl who'd follow him around and annoy him and pester him constantly to play with her. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips at the memory, before he was brought back to the situation in front of him when she added, "No one can help me."

For a moment, Anakin frowned, but that was quickly replaced by a look of fierce determination. "I can," he insisted firmly. "But, I can't if you don't _talk_ to me."

Ahsoka just shook her head and twisted back around so that she was facing him. Her large, turquoise eyes were wide with sadness and regret. "You _can't_ , Skyguy. Trust me. It's…it's _my own_ fault, really. I trusted the wrong people, and they – they let me down. Big time."

Anakin grimaced, his lips pursed together with anger, and his brows furrowed. " _Who_ let you down, Snips? Whose ass do I have to go whoop?"

A faint smile quivered Ahsoka's bottom lip, and she let loose a wisp of a laugh, but it was cold and dead. "It's a bit of a long story," she confessed, but Anakin waved his hand flippantly and shrugged.

"I've got _all_ the time in the world, Snips. I'm not going anywhere. It's just you and me here. So, talk. I'm listening," he gestured around at the empty skate park.

Sniffing once more, she nodded her head and once again, drew her legs up towards her chest, wrapping her arms round her knees. "Well, I guess it all started with Lux," she began slowly, a hint of bitterness in her voice, as she stumbled over the name. "He was always _so_ nice to me. He seemed to ' _get_ _me_ ,' and I thought – I thought he really l-loved me… y'know? Even though he goes to this fancy private school and everything. I thought he was different." She paused to catch her breath as tears streamed solidly from her eyes, staining her cheeks. The drops shone like tiny crystals in the moonlight.

"But, then suddenly, without any explanation, he stops calling me, texting me, and we stop seeing each other, and then the next thing I know, he's seeing some _rich_ girl that goes to his fancy school. She's blonde and built, and she's really smart and _very_ pretty and funny and well – I can see why he chose _her..._ over someone like me."

Ahsoka wiped her eyes and choked back a sob. "I mean, I'm _nothing_ compared to _her."_

Anakin's heart broke at hearing her speak so negatively about herself. She was so young, still growing and changing and finding her place in the world. She shouldn't have been comparing herself to some _prissy little bitch_ who lives off daddy's money.

"Snips… don't say that! You are _so much more_ than some rich little bimbo. You're great!"

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, even though her smile grew wider. "You're _supposed_ to say that, idiot. You're my big brother. For _real_ now."

Grinning, Anakin shoved her gently in the shoulder. "And, as your big brother, I'm the _only_ one who can be mean to you. That right is reserved for _me_ only!"

Finally, Ahsoka began to laugh, and the sight and sound of it caused Anakin to laugh right along with her, because it sounded so clear and bright and pretty. He hadn't heard Ahsoka laugh all night, and it felt good to see her looking somewhat happier.

"So, I guess I have to go whoop Lux's ass then?" he said with a wink, but she just shook her head.

"No… it's not – I mean, I'm _not_ angry at him. I just wish I hadn't gotten my hopes up, y'know?" she sighed and played with the end of her hair. "I thought he really cared about me, but I guess that was naive of me to think."

"Don't blame yourself, Snips," Anakin countered seriously, his voice turning soft once more. "He betrayed your trust. That's on _him,_ not on _you._ It's perfectly normal for you to be hurt by that."

"I know," she agreed meekly. "But, I'm still not angry with him. Not really. It was just the kindling on the fire I suppose – the thing that started it all."

"Started what?"

A vicious gleam in her eyes, Ahsoka snarled. "If you wanna whoop anyone's ass, it should be Barriss'."

" _Barriss?!_ " Anakin paused, eyebrows shooting up, shocked for a moment that _Barriss_ could be the cause of Ahsoka's problems. Barriss was a smart, shy, mild-mannered girl who'd been friends with Ahsoka for literally _years_. They were as thick as thieves, doing almost everything together. It was Barriss who'd called Anakin when Ahsoka had been at that senior party on New Year's Eve - she seemed to really _care_ about Ahsoka. What had happened between them to bring Ahsoka to _this?!_

"Hold up...I thought you guys were best friends?"

Ahsoka scowled and shook her head furiously. "That's what _I_ thought, too. But, turns out she's nothing more than a back-stabbing little bitch!"

Startled and confused by Ahsoka's obvious ire and crude language regarding her meek-mannered friend, Anakin frowned. "What happened?!"

With a huff, Ahsoka rolled her eyes and began, "It all started when I got a tutor," she explained. "Obi-Wan and Satine were concerned about my dropping grades, so they organised a tutor for me. I'd see them three times a week after school, and my grades slowly began to improve- to the point where I was getting high A's instead of low C's. Barriss, apparently, didn't _like_ that I was _'threatening_ ' her position as top of the class…" her eyes narrowed into tiny slits. "So, when we had one of our big tests a few weeks ago, _she_ copied off of _me_ and then accused _me_ of cheating! We were bothcalled into the principal's office and, well… guess whose side he took? _'Perfect_ _Barriss'_ with her _'perfect_ _record',"_ a look of disdain on her face, she used air quotes for emphasis, " _or_ average smartass Ahsoka with a track record of making trouble…?"

Anakin sighed miserably, his shoulders sagging. "Barriss, right?"

She nodded robotically. "I was _almost_ expelled, SkyGuy! Until Obi-Wan came over to the school, absolutely outraged, and practically _pleaded_ with the principal. Instead, I was just given a whole month's worth of afterschool detentions and a mark against my name...for something I didn't even _do, dammit!"_ Hot, angry tears spilled down her cheeks again, and she shook her head roughly to cast them aside, dashing at her eyes with her fist.

Anakin couldn't believe what he was hearing. _Poor Snips._ It _wasn't_ fair – none of this was. And, for her to have to suffer _alone_ , betrayed not only by her best and _only_ friend, but betrayed by her boyfriend also…Well, Anakin could certainly understand _why_ she was acting out the way she was. The girl was hurt, lonely, and miserable.

He felt his heart squeeze painfully in his chest. She was _his_ baby sister...and he'd had _no idea_ she had been suffering like this. She'd needed _him,_ andhe suddenly felt swept by a surge of _guilt_ that he hadn't been there for her, to help her through all this. He squared his shoulders, his jaw set. But, he was here _now._

He reached out and took her hand, giving it a tight squeeze of reassurance. "I'm so _so_ sorry, Snips. You _didn't_ deserve any of this. Not one damn bit of it."

Sniffling, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and gave him a watery smile. "S'not your fault."

"Well, maybe not fully, but I _should_ ' _ve_ been herefor you!" he argued hotly, the regret and guilt eating him up from the inside. "I should've been here for you. Supporting you. I – I let you down, Ahsoka, and I'm so sorry."

Ahsoka simply shook her head. "Don't blame yourself, SkyGuy. I can't expect you to _always_ be here when I need you. You've got your own life to live, too – with Padme, and college and everything. I've _got_ to get used to you not being around to save me _all_ the time…" her voice trailed off, sadly, and Anakin couldn't handle seeing such a strong, vibrant, young girl looking so weak.

He pulled her roughly into his arms and held her tight, his hand stroking her back as the other ran through her hair in a loving, soothing touch. "Just because I'm not around, doesn't mean I'm not here for you. I'm _always_ either a call or text away," he told her firmly. "I'll _always_ be there for you, you know that, right? _Always._ You're my family. You're my baby sister... _literally_ , and I love you, Snips. I'll _always_ love you."

She nodded her head against his chest and when he looked down, he saw a small smile on her face. _This_ was what she'd needed – for someone to listen to her and let her rant, let her vent.

"I love you, too. _Always, SkyGuy_ ," she whispered back, hugging him fiercely.


	42. Chapter 42

**_A/N: Another chapter for you. I thought some healing was needed after the intensity of the last few chapters. And, once more, we are back inside Padme's head :) Hope you enjoy! xx_**

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As warm tendrils of sunlight dribbled in through the gap in the curtains, shining softly on her face, Padme blinked her eyes open, silently yawned, and stretched lazily, back arching and toes curling, with a sort of feline grace that could only be achieved in the late morning. She rolled over onto her side to see Anakin sleeping peacefully beside her, lying on his side facing her, his bare chest rising and falling and his nostrils flaring with every deep breath. The dappled rays of sun reflected a golden sheen off his mop of curls that seemed to shimmer in the morning light. The sight of him looking so relaxed made her smile serenely– he'd been on edge _all_ weekend and _any_ time she'd asked him what was wrong, he'd brushed her aside with brisk - almost _angry -_ words and gestures.

Padme was worried about him. He'd been acting so strange, so _distant_ with her. He'd bitten her head off more than once this weekend, which was so out of character for him. Yeah, he had a temper, but this was... _different._ Something was weighing heavily on his mind, but whatever it was, he refused to share it with her. And, it angered her just a little. How were they supposed to last if they kept secrets from each other? They'd talked about this when he was in the hospital over Valentines Day, and he'd agreed with her. They'd already promised _not_ to keep secrets from each other, so if Anakin was hiding something, it must be something major.

Still, she frowned, it hurt to think he'd even consider not sharing, not opening up to her about whatever it was that was so obviously bothering him. She sighed softly.

Regardless, Padme didn't want to fight with him today. They hardly saw each other enough as it was, and the last thing she wanted was to cause a rift between them on their final day together this trip. So, she decided to hold her tongue. She trusted Anakin enough to know he would tell her what was bothering him when he was ready, and when that day came, she would listen and give him her full undivided attention. That's what couples _do,_ and she vowed to be there for him when he was finally ready to open up.

Her hand reached out to stroke his stubbled cheek softly, her fingers lightly tracing the hard line of his jaw with tender affection. She smirked, her eyes twinkling merrily. He really needed to shave. Still, she wanted to savour _every_ moment they spent together, for she was flying back to Harvard later that afternoon. The weekend had gone far too quickly. It was already Monday, and yet, it felt like they'd only spent a day with each other. _Time certainly did fly when you were having fun,_ she thought to herself with a smile.

Anakin's strange distant attitude aside, though, their weekend _had_ been wonderful. The wedding was simply divine; small and sweet and full of love and joy amongst family and close friends. Padme felt privileged to have attended such a lovely event with Anakin and his family. It was the kind of wedding _she_ hoped for one day…nothing too extravagant, just something simple and elegant, a beautiful celebration with the people she loved the most.

Against her better judgement, she couldn't help but think of her own future wedding – to Anakin, in particular – over the weekend. Perhaps it was the joyous vibe, the romantic ambiance, or the radiant smiles on Owen and Beru's faces as they gazed upon each other at the alter? Nonetheless, it was all that had preoccupied her thoughts. Which, admittedly, was a bit odd for _her_. Sure, weddings had always been in the back of her mind since she was a young girl, but _never_ a priority. She wanted to graduate, to find a good job and rise up in the ranks, to excel at her career and make a real and lasting change in the world and leave her mark for years to come. All of _that_ was more important than getting married and settling down…

At least, it _had_ been.

The wedding had changed something within her. She wasn't exactly sure _what_ or how to even _describe_ it really. Just that she _knew_ something within her...with her _mindset..._ was now different from before. The only other wedding Padme had ever attended was her sister's – but that had been a completely different experience altogether. Padme had only been thirteen then. The thought of marriage at that age was _far_ beyond her comprehension; too far in the future to even think about. _But_ , attending a wedding _now_ with Anakin, the love of her life, the man she _knew_ to the depths of her _soul_ she wanted to spend the rest of her days with, had altered that previously clinged-to perspective. The reality of actually getting married was suddenly a lot closer at hand.

And that scared her.

All her life, her _father_ had brought her up to be a strong, independent, intelligent woman, who didn't need _anyone_ – let alone a _man_ – to make her life complete. Those feministic values had been instilled...even _drilled..._ into her ever since Sola's wedding; due to her father's ill-kept secret of being _very_ upset that, in his paternal opinion, his eldest daughter had married _far_ too young and _'ruined her future'_. And, after his own acrimonious divorce not long after, he'd been _determined_ to ensure that Padme didn't follow in her sister's footsteps, and so far, Padme had turned out completely opposite of her sister. Whilst she'd been in a few relationships, she'd never _really_ considered marriage – not even to Rush Clovis, the only other man she'd ever loved. Or, rather _thought_ she'd loved.

No. Now, it was different, and she knew it.

With _Anakin_ … she saw a future, a life, a _family_ , something she'd _never_ given any real serious thought to before. She _loved_ him deeply, and knew she would forever, no matter what happened between them. She _wanted_ to settle down with him, have a home together, have and raise children (and four-legged fur babies) with him, grow old and grey with him. She wanted that richly intimate _togetherness_ that only comes from a lifetime spent exclusively with the one true love of your life. And, the wedding had brought all of those emotions right up to the forefront of her thoughts and the tip of her tongue.

As she gazed upon his beautiful sleeping form, tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of their future together, and all of a sudden _,_ shecouldn't _wait_ for it to get here. _Her Ani._ She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss between his eyebrows and whispered, "I love you Anakin Skywalker," against his warm skin.

The sound and action caused him to stir slightly, and a soft smile crept onto his lips. Slowly, his cerulean orbs fluttered open to stare directly into her own brown depths so intently that she almost couldn't breathe. Even after all this time, he could still render her totally off guard with just one look from his beautiful blue eyes. His hand rose up to cup her cheek, and he stroked his thumb gently across her lips.

"I love you too, Angel."

Leaning in, their lips met in a loving embrace, lazily moving against one another, taking their time and savouring the taste and feel of each other. Without breaking their kiss, Anakin's arms snuck around her waist and pulled her into his chest, her arms wrapping around his neck and their legs tangling together under the sheets. It was a sweet, tender moment – full of the deep love and affection they felt for each other, without the underlying hints of primal lust that often surged forth between them. It was _romantic,_ and Padme _never_ wanted the moment to end.

Anakin let out a low growl that rumbled against her torso, as he rolled them both over so that Padme was draped across his chest, with her legs resting on either side of his hips. His hands slid up underneath her pyjama shirt to caress the bare skin of her back, and she arched into his touch with a soft sigh of delight, as his fingertips danced up and down her spine with the barest of touches. Padme smiled against his lips when his hands slid back down to eagerly cup her bottom, massaging her rounded cheeks gently as his mouth devoured hers.

After all the commotion of last night – with their argument during dinner, Ahsoka running away, Anakin dashing out to go find her, Satine breaking down in tears of worry as Ben cradled her, followed by Anakin's return two hours later with the contrite and subdued teenager, they'd been in no mood to be intimate when they'd finally come home later that evening, instead going straight to bed with barely a glance at the other. Anakin, it seemed, was now desperate to make up for that missed opportunity. _Not_ that Padme minded, of course. It _was_ their last day together for a while…and she wanted to make the most of it.

Their kiss soon deepened, and Anakin slowly lifted her pyjama shirt up and over her head, tossing it to the floor on the side of his bed as Padme sat up on his lap, flinging her long mane back sensuously as she arched her back. Tilting her head toward him, her rosy lips smiled coquettishly, as her mahogany tresses tumbled down in silken waves over her back and shoulders to rest upon her chest, the curly ends obscuring her breasts from his hungry view, and he carefully swept them aside to cup her breasts in his palms while gently thumbing at her pointed, pink nipples, sliding his thumbs slowly, softly around and around the quickly puckering peaks, causing Padme to whimper with pleasure. His midnight blue gaze turned molten as he watched her body respond to his touch. The skin around his eyes crinkled as he smiled up at her, love and adoration gleaming in those blue depths.

"You're _so_ beautiful, Angel," he whispered to her reverently, and she blushed, cheeks pink as a rose. As he continued to tweak her nipples, she leaned over and ran her fingers through his hair, gently scraping her nails on his scalp, causing him to shiver at the pleasurable sensation.

"So are you," she countered sweetly before leaning down to kiss him softly, her taut nipples ghosting against his chest. His hands, once more, slid across her bare back to return to caressing her bottom, as he used his grip on her hips to slide her moist center back and forth slowly against the rapidly growing erection in his pyjama pants, drawing soft moans of desire from them both.

 _Everything_ about this moment was slow and sweet – very unlike their passionate, erotic reunion had been only a few days ago. Yet, Padme enjoyed this change of pace. She enjoyed the way he touched her softly, delicately, the way his lips brushed sweetly against hers and his tongue feathered the seam of her lips, politely asking for entrance before mating with her own, rather than sweeping demandingly inside her mouth with raw masculine intensity. Yes, there was a time and place for being rough and fast, for frenzied, torrid unions of lust…but this morning was not one of those times. No, _this_ was a moment for slow, leisurely lovemaking, for taking their time to draw out their pleasure, for caresses that danced and lingered on their bodies.

Soon, their remaining clothes were off, thrown carelessly to the floor to join her shirt, and their bodies were pressed together as close and as tightly as possible. Padme's erect nipples brushed tantalisingly against Anakin's chest with each slow grind of her hips along his hard cock. His hands were bunched up in her hair, fingers gripping her curls so deliciously, as she trailed her lips down from his mouth to nip and suckle at the skin of his throat, marking him as _hers_. Anakin shuddered and moaned at her love bites, as he slid his tongue slowly around the shell of her ear before gently biting and suckling on her earlobe. Gliding his right hand down her spine, he lightly traced the curve of her hip before reaching between them to brush his fingertips in a feather light touch over her swollen clit. She shuddered and inhaled sharply at his teasing touch. He reached down further to grasp himself, adjusting his erection to rub slowly, sensuously against her wetness, causing them each to groan softly in anticipation.

Lifting her head up, they paused for a breathless moment to stare lovingly in each other's eyes. Anakin mouthed _I love you,_ thenwith a sharp thrust up, he entered her in one smooth glide. Sheathing himself to the hilt inside her, his nest of golden curls whispered caressingly over her clit as their hips sealed together, and the suddenness of his invasion made Padme gasp. She clutched at his chest and closed her eyes, as she adjusted to the feeling of him embedded deeply inside her, claiming her as his own, before she slowly began to move. Her hips rose and fell in an unhurried gentle rhythm, letting her feel his entire length caressing her inner walls with each grinding thrust. He felt so _, so_ good inside her, and she bit her lip to hold back her wails of ecstasy.

Their lovemaking was quiet and tranquil, with the only sounds being the tiny gasps, sighs, and muffled groans emitted from their mouths accompanying the soft wet slap of each rock of their hips together. Anakin's feet flattened out on the bed and his knees bent, his hips thrusting up harder and deeper inside Padme, making her eyes roll and then flutter closed, as her nails dug sharply into the skin of his shoulders. Watching her through half hooded eyes, Anakin lifted his head from the pillow to gently lick and suckle her pert nipples with his lips and tongue as her breasts bobbed and swayed over him with each surge of their hips, both of them moaning at the sensation. _This_ was complete bliss.

With an almost surprising feline grace, like a tiger on the prowl, Anakin soon rolled them over once more, utterly claiming dominance, as he slid his hands down her belly and hips to grasp under her thighs and lifted her legs to wrap around his waist. His knees spread wide to brace either side of her hips, and he leaned over her, sealing their mouths together in a deep kiss. His forearms flat on the mattress on either side of her head, his hands curled into her hair, he speared into her with a newfound intensity, hitting her sweet spot again and again. The headboard rocked softly against the wall with the tireless ebb and flow of their lovemaking.

Their foreheads touching, their eyes never left each other's, and their lips never parted, as they continued long into the late morning, their thrusting lasting for what seemed like several glorious _hours_ to Padme. Suddenly, with a deep masculine groan, Anakin tensed and came in a series of hot wet bursts that bathed her feminine walls in his essence, and Padme closely followed with her own release, her inner muscles clutching at his hard cock in rhythmic spasms, her back arching off the bed to scrape her chest against his, as she whined out in complete satisfaction. Exhausted and spent, Anakin collapsed on top of her, his skin sticky with sweat, their bodies pressed intimately together from chest to hip. Padme wrapped her arms around his neck, twining her fingers in his dampened curls, and her legs embraced his hips, her feet resting on his firm backside, cradling him to her as he continued to slowly thrust in and out of her, drawing out their lovemaking until he grew soft inside her.

They lay there in contented serenity for several long minutes, neither one of them moving as their breathing slowed. Padme ran her fingers gently across the ridges of his spine, savouring the way his skin felt warm and smooth and supple underneath her fingertips. She enjoyed the solid heavy weight of him on top of her, so dominantly masculine it made her feel safe somehow, that he was here, they were together, and everything was going to be alright. It was rare for them to have moments like this, so when they appeared, Padme took full advantage of them as best she could.

Anakin soon moved off of her with another quick peck on her lips and a small grunt and flopped onto his back beside her, keeping one hand resting possessively on her thigh, brushing her soft skin tenderly, his other arm flung up over the pillow, his hand moving to rest under his head. Padme reached down and captured his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together, and glancing down, she smiled at the way his large hand dwarfed hers, the way his golden skin contrasted so prettily and perfectly with her own porcelain skin tone.

"This weekend has been _so_ nice," Padme mused softly, as she ran her thumb gently across the top of Anakin's hand.

He rolled his head on the pillow to face her and beamed at her, nodding in agreement, "Yeah, it has."

"I don't want it to end…" her eyes were downcast as she said it, lips turning down into a tiny, miserable grimace at the thought of leaving Anakin once more and returning to Harvard, alone and lonely. Once again, that bittersweet goodbye had come back to haunt her – haunt _them -_ more bitter than sweet the longer they spent apart.

Anakin squeezed her hand affectionately and gave her a radiant smile. "I know, Angel. Me neither. But, it won't be like this forever." His blue eyes glimmered with hope that warmed Padme's heart. "One day, I promise you, we'll be together _every_ _day_ , just like this." Looking into his eyes, she could see he meant _every_ word, and she suddenly felt reassured.

Padme grinned, rolled over, and snuggled into Anakin's side, his arm coming round to hug her shoulders, her hand resting on his chest and her legs wrapping around his, rubbing her foot up and down his shins. "I can't _wait_ for that day," she confessed softly with a deep sense of longing that she was only just now beginning to accept, given this sudden and profound _change_ within herself, and Anakin rumbled his agreement and turned his head to press a sweet kiss to the top of her hair, before laying his head against hers.

They lay in silence for a few moments, Padme content with listening to Anakin's slow, steady breathing and hearing the _thump thump_ of his heart beneath her ear. Once more, thoughts of the wedding occupied her mind, and she bit her lip. She wondered if Anakin knew what she was thinking about. There'd been times during their relationship where she'd been quick to shut down _any_ idea of marriage – of settling down and creating a future together. And, during those moments, Padme couldn't help but notice the flicker of disappointment in Anakin's eyes at her reaction. It had happened again at the wedding, when one of Anakin's relatives had eluded to _their_ possible nuptials in the future. It alarmed her a little, his disappointment that he tried to hide. Did he _really_ think she didn't _want_ to someday get married – to marry _him?_ Had she cast him aside so hastily without even considering _his_ feelings on the matter?

She wanted to rectify that mistake. Now.

Propping herself up on her elbow, she traced lazy, aimless patterns across his chest with her other hand and peered down at him through her dark curls, while his hand slid lazily up and down her spine. He met her gaze quizzically and tilted his head to the side. "What is it, Babe?" he asked.

Sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, she sighed. "I'm sorry, Ani."

Anakin frowned in confusion and reached up with his other hand to cup her cheek. "What for?"

"For making you feel like I don't want – that I don't see a future… together… with you…" her voice trailed off in embarrassment, and she attempted to look away, but he gripped her chin tightly between his thumb and forefinger, forcing her to maintain eye contact. His gaze was questioning, obviously wondering where _this_ was coming from.

" _What_ are you talking about, Angel?" he asked, genuinely confused. She sighed and gave a half shrug.

"I just feel like...maybe I've been giving you the impression all this time that I _don't_ want to settle down…with you. And, I'm sorry, if I have," she took his hand and squeezed it tightly. "I'm _sorry_ about the way I am, Ani – it's...it's just the way I've been brought up to _think_. My dad, y'know, he taught me to be independent, to take care of myself, to not rely on _anyone_ else, and to focus on my career. And, it's not like those things _aren't_ important to me. They _are._ I _do_ want to graduate at the top of my class. I want to get a good job and rise up the ranks, to really excel in my career. I want to travel and change the world...But, the thing is... that's _all_ my father _ever_ taught me. He _never_ opened my eyes to the possibility of finding real lasting _happiness_ in a relationship, in a _marriage_ , in having a _family_ of my own – because of Sola's early marriage… and then his and Mom's own bitter divorce not long after…" she sighed and shook her head.

"He's always had good intentions for me, of course, but his judgement was clouded by his past, and he practically _drilled_ it into me, to be a career woman first and foremost and not let _a man_ define me, hold me back, or be the most important thing in my life. And, it's really _hard_ for me to let that type of thinking go and to think about marriage and family more positively when all I've ever known my whole life is the exact opposite." Her shoulders slumped a bit with this admission.

She peered down at Anakin, but he remained silent, waiting for her to finish, keeping his blue eyes intently trained on her. "But, I want you to know, Ani, that I _do_ want those things...Marriage, a home, and children... _Just_ as much as you do. It's just…hard for me to truly _express_ those feelings sometimes, because of how I've been brought up and everything, and I guess, after the wedding, I just wanted to be sure you _knew_ and _understood_ that. I love you, Ani. More than anything. Never doubt that."

He smiled and brought her hand up to kiss it with his lips. "I know you do, Angel. You don't have to worry about that."

She shook her head. "But, I _do_ worry. I saw the way you looked when I kind of shut down the idea of us getting married soon! I _hurt_ you, Anakin. It made me feel awful!" Tears of shame welled up in her eyes. "You're always so romantic and loving and _expressive_ about it, and I'm the exact opposite, always so hesitant, reserved, and… _sceptical!_ " A single tear slipped down her cheek and dripped on his chest.

"Hey…" Anakin cupped her cheek gently and drew her down to meet his lips in a soft, reassuring kiss. "Don't feel bad, Angel, please. I grew up next door to you, remember? I've heard more than one conversation over the years about this _exact_ subject - you, Sola, and your dad - being discussed between our mothers. Believe me, I _know_ why you feel the way you do, _why_ you act the way you do. And I know and _accept_ you, flaws and all, and trust me, your dad _should_ be proud – he's got an _amazing,_ independent, intelligent, compassionate, and courageous daughter whose heart is _always_ in the right place. You're going to conquer the world, Padme, I just know it. "

Padme spluttered through her tears, forcing a tremulous smile.

"And," he added with a soft smile, "I wouldn't have fallen in love with you if you were any different than just how you are. _You're_ perfect for _me_ , Angel, exactly the way you are." At his words, more tears dripped down onto his chest.

Beaming, Padme whimpered and snorted wetly through her tears and kissed him deeply, winding her hands around his neck at his loving acceptance, her heart soaring with the immense affection she felt for him. He knew her so well, knew how to melt her, to destroy any insecurities she could possibly have. It was one of the many, many reasons why she loved him so very much.

"I love you, Ani," she muttered fervently against his lips, whispering his name like a prayer.

"I love you more, Angel," he responded simply.

They lay in each other's arms for several moments longer, kissing and nuzzling each other, neither of them wishing to move for the sake of savouring their precious time together. And, while she remained nestled snugly into his side, she couldn't help the enormous, radiant grin that broke out on her face. Perhaps, in the not _too_ distant future, she and Anakin _would_ experience a wedding of their own. And, whilst it would be a little while off yet, Padme was now one hundred percent sure in her heart she couldn't wait for _their_ wedding bells to ring.


	43. Chapter 43

**_A/N: Happy Halloween my lovelies! Oh my god I never thought this day would come where I'd have time to upload a new chapter! Hooray! I've been swamped with reporting for the end of term and marking assessments, plus there's been engagement parties and birthdays and all sorts of things happening in my ultra busy life. But, last weekend, I finally had some time to myself and was able to nut out this chapter. I hope you like it! It's been a long time coming._**

 _ **For those wondering, there are not that many chapters left. I'd give a rough estimate of around 5 :) My plan is to have this story finished before the school holidays so I can start the sequel during my 6 week break.**_

 _ **Again, thank you all for your patience! I'm doing my very best, I promise. And... Happy Birthday Padme! :)**_

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" _C'mon_ , _P!,_ " Dorme whined, bouncing impatiently up and down on her toes in the doorway to the bathroom.

Smirking, Padme shook her head as she delicately applied her eyeliner, bending closer to the mirror so she could see without the horrid bathroom lighting casting shadows over her face. "Relax, would you? Dinner's not until 7 pm."

Her roommate huffed and sighed melodramatically with a large eye roll. "Yeah, but you _don't_ turn up to your own birthday dinner _sober_. I'm expecting us to hit up the bar heavy beforehand." She winked, a mischievous twinkle in her brown eyes. "But, at this rate, by the time you'll be done here, it'll be lock out already!"

"You should be an actress. Y'know that?," Padme drawled sarcastically, shooting a wicked grin over her shoulder at her best friend.

Dorme flipped her hair purposefully and cocked her hip. "Well, I can _definitely_ see myself in the spotlight. I'm just glad you appreciate my talent."

Scoffing at her with a shake of her head, Padme ignored her remark and continued applying her makeup. "Just be patient. I'm almost ready."

It was her 25th birthday, and Dorme and Teckla had decided she needed a _girl's night out_ – something Padme hadn't done in a very long time. The prospect was incredibly exciting. It had been _months_ since Padme had had a night out with her friends. The last time she'd even attended a party was several months before, when she and Dorme had attended Tyler's hockey victory party in February. It was now the middle of May, but she had been so swamped with studying for finals and finishing her thesis that she'd hardly left the apartment since coming back from Owen's wedding in March, except to attend her classes or grab a _Starbucks_.

It had been Dorme who'd finally put her foot down, insisting that she take a break for _once_ and celebrate her birthday in a proper fashion. Which, in Dorme-speak, meant getting completely shitfaced. It had taken some convincing, but once Teckla had jumped on board the _P's Birthday bandwagon_ , Padme had finally surrendered to their torments and agreed on the outing.

The evening was meant to be a simple dinner with just the three of them at Padme's favourite _Spanish Tapas_ restaurant and then going out to their favorite local bar down the road for a few drinks afterwards. That was the _plan_ anyway, but Padme had a sneaking suspicion that it would turn into something a lot more. _Nothing_ was ever simple or tame when Dorme was involved.

"Well, I can't wait for another five thousand years," Dorme declared with a heavy sigh. She turned on her heel and headed out into the kitchen, the _click clack_ of her stilleto heels echoing on the tiles.

"Where are you going?" Padme called out as she lined her lips with a dark red pencil.

There was no response except a clinking of glass and the sound of opening cupboards, and then, suddenly, Dorme reappeared in Padme's mirror with a smug smile on her face. "Birthday shots!" she announced with a laugh, shoving a shot glass at her.

Padme paused and turned around, eyeing the shot glass suspiciously. "What is this?"

"Vodka. We have half a bottle of _Belvedere_ in the bottom of our pantry, next to the slow cooker." She pushed the shot glass closer to Padme's face. She crinkled her nose up in disgust. She hated vodka – it burned like hell, and she almost always gagged afterwards. But, it _was_ her birthday, and this was _Belvedere_ vodka, and it was _super_ expensive, so she wasn't going to let it go to waste. "Come onnnnn, P. Don't be an old lady!"

Rolling her eyes, Padme took the glass from her best friend and grinned. "I'm _not_ an old lady!"

They clinked their glasses together and threw their shots back. Padme did her best not to cough it back up and gingerly swallowed, feeling that oh so familiar burn, as the liquid slid down her throat. Once it was down, she lifted her head and grinned over at her roommate, who grinned back.

"Right. Let's go!"

"Wait, I wanna send a picture of me in this outfit to Anakin! Here, D...Would you take it for me?" Padme asked, handing her phone to her roommate.

"Sure, P. He's gonna come just from this picture alone, y'know, because tonight, you are one _hot_ ass chick in that getup!" Dorme smirked. Padme giggled and then posed, cocking her hip suggestively, pouting her lips, and giving her most sultry look for the camera. Dorme took a couple of quick shots, and then a headshot selfie of the two of them together.

Padme took her phone back, thanked her roommate, then proceeded to text Anakin, sending him the pictures Dorme had just taken: **Hey baby! How do I look? Like it?**

Almost instantly, Anakin fired back a response: **Fuck me babe! You look HOT. Love it!**

Giggling and blushing at his enthusiastic response, she wrote back: **Good! I'll wear it next time I see you baby ;)**

His response was immediate and practically _dripped_ with lust: **You won't wear it long. I'll make sure of that ;)**

Laughing with delight at his comments, her heart buoyant and light, both from Anakin's love for her and her upcoming night out with her girlfriends, Padme headed out the apartment door with her best friend, ready for whatever Dorme had up her sleeve.

Reaching outside, they found it was surprisingly cool for May, and Padme immediately wished she'd brought her trusty black, leather jacket, as she and Dorme waited outside the front of their apartment building for their _Uber_. Dorme had helped pick out her outfit; which consisted of a short, tight, black leather miniskirt, sheer black hose, black suede thigh-high boots, and a gold sequinned, slinky slip of a top that had thin straps and left her back completely bare; and while she looked 'sexy af' as her roommate had guffawed, it didn't protect her from the elements. Luckily, they didn't have to wait long, as their _Uber_ pulled up onto the curb only two minutes later, and the two girls slid into the back seat, eager for their night to begin.

In typical Dorme fashion, she'd snuck a flask of vodka into her clutch purse, and sneakily held it out to Padme when their _Uber_ driver wasn't looking, giving her a wink and a smirk. Rolling her eyes, Padme took a swig, tried not to gag, and then handed it back to her best friend. Already, she could feel the effects of the alcohol, her fingers and toes growing warm and numb as the 'vodka blanket' took control. Shaking her head, Padme wondered if she'd even make it to the restaurant at this rate.

Several sneaky sips from the flask later, and the two of them eventually arrived at their destination. Padme was most _definitely_ tipsy as she stepped out of the _Uber_ and onto the sidewalk. She was buzzing with happiness, the tendrils of warmth running down to the tips of her fingers and toes, making it somehow easier to walk in her five-inch heeled boots.

They walked inside, and found Teckla already waiting at their reserved table. She leapt up from her seat, all wide twinkling green eyes and beaming, dimpled smiles, and threw her arms around Padme, squealing, "Happy Birthday, Padme!" as she did so, and kissing both of her cheeks.

Grinning, Padme pulled back and tucked a tendril of her hair behind her ear. "Thanks, Teckla."

It was then she noticed the two other people sitting at their table. The first she recognised immediately. It was Sabe – her very best friend from elementary school. They'd been two peas in a pod, but when Padme had moved away to boarding school, they'd hardly seen each other. Of course, they kept it touch on _Facebook_ and _Instagram_ – she had recently moved to Oxford, UK to study law at _Oxford_ _University_ after completing her undergrad degree at _Yale_ last year. But, they hadn't _seen_ each other in years. Tears brimmed in Padme's eyes as she gazed upon one of her oldest and dearest friends. She'd cut her hair, the brown locks styled in a chic layered bob with a dramatic side part that suited her features, but her radiant smile and large, brown eyes remained the same as they did when they were kids.

On Teckla's right, was Corde, one of the girls she'd attended boarding school with, along with Dorme. She'd always been a beautiful girl in school, her Chinese-American heritage giving her an exotic beauty that Padme had always slightly envied. When they'd graduated school, Corde had moved to New York to pursue her passion for writing, and while they'd caught up several times over the years, it had been almost a year since Padme had last seen her.

The sight of two of her oldest and dearest friends made Padme stop in her tracks, tears finally spilling over her cheeks as she rushed towards them, squealing with delight. Reaching Sabe first, Padme pulled her into a tight hug, relishing the opportunity to hold her longest friend for the first time in five years. "Oh, Sabe!," she sobbed into her friend's neck. "What are you doing here?!"

Beaming radiantly, tears glittering in her own brown eyes, Sabe sniffled and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm visiting my fiancée. He's doing a semester abroad here at Harvard Law."

At the mention of 'fiancee', Padme immediately glanced down to Sabe's left hand and her jaw dropped at the sight of the _enormous_ glittering rock that adorned her ring finger. She marvelled for a moment at how such slender fingers could possibly hold up such a monstrosity. "Oh my god, congratulations!" Padme gushed, unable to take her eyes off the beautiful engagement ring. "That's wonderful, Sabe! I'm _so_ happy for you! What's his name? Is he British?"

Her friend blushed prettily and tucked a lock of hair behind her ears. "Thanks, P. His name is Nicholas Brohmwell...I call him Nick...And, yeah, he's British. I'll show you some pictures tonight. I'm sorry I didn't get in contact with you immediately when I arrived here, but Dorme begged me to keep it a secret as a surprise!"

Shooting a mocking glare over at Dorme, who winked at her cheekily, Padme laughed and shook her head. "Don't be silly! I'm just so happy you're here!"

Then, her gaze, flicked over to Corde, who was waiting patiently for her attention. Padme pulled her friend into a warm embrace before stepping back and kissing her cheek. "Corde! It's been forever!"

Her friend laughed sweetly and nodded. "I know, right?! How disgraceful!"

"You didn't come all the way here from New York just because it's my birthday did you?"

With a secret smile shared with Dorme, Corde shrugged. "I may have… I mean, it _has_ been forever!"

Overwhelmed at how lucky she was to have such lovely friends, Padme sniffled back her tears of affection and hugged her friend one more time. "Well, I'm _so_ happy you did!"

"P, it's your birthday, not a funeral!" Dorme drawled with a smirk, shaking her head. "Quit your blubbering. It's ruining the vibe."

Rolling her eyes, Padme took a seat at the end of the table, Corde on one side and Dorme on the other, with Sabe sitting next to Teckla. It was then she realised she had the _greatest_ best friend in the entire world. There was no doubt that Dorme had organised for her two far away friends to fly over to Boston for her birthday, and she felt extremely touched at the kind gesture. Dorme may be sarcastic and sassy and a little _too_ honest at times, but she was also the most thoughtful and considerate friend Padme had ever had.

As the first course arrived on the table (Dorme had arranged for a banquet of share plates for the group), along with several large pitchers of Sangria, Sabe piped up from the other end of the table, where she was sitting next to Dorme and Teckla, "So, tell us about your new man, P!"

Blushing, Padme lowered her gaze as her mind drifted off to Anakin. They'd briefly Skyped that morning for her birthday, before he'd had to head off to class, and he'd had a dozen beautiful, long stem red roses and a gorgeous pair of silver _Tiffany_ earrings (to match her bracelet he'd gotten for her at Christmas) delivered to her apartment. As sad as she was that he was unable to celebrate her birthday with her in person, she was incredibly grateful for his thoughtful and beautiful gift, and had told him as much during their Skype call. He was, truly, an absolute sweetheart, and she loved him more than anyone else in the world.

"Yeah!" Corde probed in agreement, clapping her hands together excitedly. "Is he coming out with us tonight?"

Sighing sadly, Padme shook her head. "No, Anakin's in Chicago pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. That's where he studies."

Sabe tilted her head to the side and chewed on her lip in thought, her dark eyebrows narrowing. "Anakin… wait… you don't mean _Anakin Skywalker_ , as in, _Little Ani?_ The kid that lived next door to you back in Minnesota? Wasn't he like, five years younger than you?"

"Yeah, that's the one!" Padme grinned.

Corde's eyes grew wide and sparkled with mischief. "You cradle snatcher, P! How'd you manage to pick up such a youngling?"

Laughing, Padme shrugged, a smirk on her face. "Well, I guess he's always had a thing for older women."

"Oh _yeah_ , that boy's been in love with you since he was nine or ten," Sabe added, shaking her head with a giggle. "I remember when he used to spy on us from over the fence. Remember? _Especially_ whenever we were sunbathing on the back patio in our bikinis! Oh, man! Like that one time we caught him watching us, and he slipped and fell off that large stack of firewood by his mom's garage, making that godawful racket?"

Padme's eyes widened, and she burst out laughing with Sabe, "Oh, I'd forgotten about that, but yeah! I remember now! That was funny!" _My dear sweet little Ani_ , she shook her head with a smile at the memory.

"Well…" Dorme chimed in matter-of-factly, a sly look on her face, "trust me, from what I can _hear,_ he's not so _little_ any more, if you know what I mean," she added cheekily with a wink.

The girls all burst out into laughter, and Padme's cheeks flared hot with embarrassment, and she smacked Dorme on the arm sharply, shaking her head. "Dorme!" she reprimanded her best friend, but soon joined in the laughter with the rest of her friends. "You _cannot_ talk. You and Tyler are _just_ as loud as we are, y'know."

Dorme smirked and dismissed her with a wave of her hand. "Yes, but we're not discussing _my_ boyfriend's penis size, P – which, is _more_ than satisfying, I might add. We're discussing _yours_."

Padme laughed, "Yeah, well...I've always said Tyler's a brunette version of Anakin! I guess even in _that_ department!"

"Damn right!," Dorme snorted matter-of-factly, taking another sip of Sangria while _all_ the girls burst out laughing.

Corde, the only single girl at the table, sat up straighter in her chair and stared at Padme, eyes wide, completely serious. "How big?"

Giggling, and blushing even harder, Padme held up her hands, slowly drawing them further and further apart, until Corde's eyes almost burst out of her head. "No _way!_ You've _got_ to be kidding!"

With a smug secret smile, Padme shook her head, "Nope. Not at all. I am a _very_ satisfied woman, lemme tell you!"

"I can vouch for _that!_ Withthe moans and groans _I've_ heard _,"_ Dorme said on a low whistle before raising her glass in silent salute, causing another round of laughter to burst forth round the table.

Padme, chittering and blushing, laughingly replied, "Well, he _is_ a six foot two hunk, y'know!"

"Really? He was kinda scrawny when he was little. What does he look like now, P?," Sabe asked curiously.

Padme grinned wolfishly before pulling out her phone and opening her pictures to some shots from Owen's wedding and then passing her phone to first Sabe and then to Corde, both of whom registered slack jawed shock at Anakin's gorgeous looks and powerful masculine physique.

"Damn, Girlfriend! No _wonder_ you look as happy as you do...With _that_ piece of eye candy wrapped round you? What woman _wouldn't_ be one hundred percent satisfied?!," Sabe said in awe, Corde blushing and nodding her own head in agreement.

Teckla, who was by far the _most_ prudish of all of Padme's friends that were currently at the table, swallowed and blushed deeply as she muttered, "Wow. No wonder you always look so happy lately, P."

There was a twinge of despair in Teckla's voice, and Padme gave her a knowing smile and reached over to gently squeeze her hand in silent support. Teckla's boyfriend, Tommy, was still posted overseas, and she hadn't seen him in more than six months now. Padme could _well_ sympathize with being separated for some length of time from the man you love, and she was always encouraging to her friend.

"Well, I'm glad you're happy," Sabe said kindly, handing Padme back her phone and then reaching out to squeeze her hand. "It's about time. You've had horrible luck with boyfriends."

Padme nodded in agreement, just as their second round of share plates were brought to the table. The cheerful conversation flowed as freely as their laughter, the girls catching up on all the happenings in their lives, as the night wore on. Several more platters of tapas and even more pitchers of Sangria later, and Padme was well and truly feeling the warm, fuzzy effects of the alcohol, the fullness of her belly, and the high of being around her closest and dearest of friends. It was honestly one of the _best_ birthdays she'd had in a long time – the only thing that could make it any better would be if Anakin was by her side.

Once the bill was sorted – each girl paying their own share – they all piled into a maxi taxi and drove down several blocks until they reached their favourite bar. Soon, the familiar damp air, a mixture of sweat and booze, filled Padme's nostrils as she entered the dimly lit bar. It had been one of her most frequented places many years ago; yet now, she couldn't remember the last time she'd been here. And, she'd never even dragged Anakin here for some strange reason. That was for certain. It had been _so_ long since she'd been to a bar… perhaps Dorme _was_ right – she needed to get out more.

Dorme, in typical _Dorme_ fashion, took charge and marched the party right over to the bar, demanding shots of the poor bartender so forcefully that Padme felt sorry for him, and informing him as loudly as possible that it was her "best friend's birthday, and she's gonna get some free shots, dammit!"

Hurriedly obliging, the surprised bartender quickly did as he was bid, lining five _Dirty Cowboys_ up along the top of the bar.

"Happy Birthday, P!" The girls chorused as they raised their shot glasses high in the air. Padme laughed and joined them, knocking back her _Dirty Cowboy_ with a quick tilt of her head, swallowing it all in one gulp, and then placing the empty shot glass back on the bar. Beside her, Dorme and Teckla cheered her on, their eyes bright with excitement and more than a little intoxication.

The shot seemed to give Padme a sudden burst of energy, and she took hold of Dorme and Teckla's hands and pulled them into the middle of the dance floor. Around twenty bodies were already clumped together in a sweaty, steamy heap, bopping and grinding against each other in sync with the 90's RnB music blaring from the speakers. _Yes,_ Padme thought to herself smugly as she dropped down into what Dorme referred to as a 'slut drop', _this is exactly what I needed!_

A little after midnight, Padme decided it was the right time to call Anakin, and stood in the middle of the dancefloor with the phone pressed up to her ear, shouting at the top of her lungs.

"Heyyyyy, Aniiiiii! M'out a' a barrrrrr!," she all but screamed into the phone as soon as it connected, her slurred speech drawing out her words until they were comically unintelligible.

Anakin's warm, comforting laughter echoed through the phone. " _Yeah, I_ _can_ _tell_ , _Babe_. _Are_ _you_ _drunk?_ "

Padme shook her head furiously, and stumbled, knocking into Corde – who was grinding seductively up against a random guy, and almost rolling her ankle.

" _Angel_ … _I can't_ _see_ _you, remember?_ ," Anakin reminded her, patiently, his voice patronising like he was communicating with a child. " _You can't_ _just_ _shake_ _or_ _nod_ _your_ _head_."

"Oohh," Padme muttered. "Nooooo, Ani… I'm not – hic – drunk. _Y-you_ are!" She tittered with laughter, listening to the answering rumble of Anakin's deep chuckles.

" _Surrrrre, Babe_. _Well_ , _I'm_ _glad_ _you're_ _having_ _a_ _good_ _time_. _Say_ _'hi'_ _to_ _the_ _girls_ _for_ _me_."

"Mmmhmmm…" she sighed, clenching her thighs together. The sound of Anakin's voice was turning her on so much, that she could actually feel herself getting wetter with every word he said.

Just at that moment, Dorme approached her from behind, grabbing her shoulder and hollering into the phone, "Heeeey, Anakinnnn! P's busting some moves tonight! You should see her bumping and - hic - g-grinding o-out here!"

 _"Oh, really? Wish I could see that! You girls have fun. Just get my girl home safe and in one piece tonight, Dorme,"_ Anakin called out to her roommate, his voice thick with amusement.

"You can - hic - count on me, Ani!" Dorme announced with an air of responsibility and saluted dramatically like some sort of Girl Scout. They could both hear Anakin's deep chuckles through the phone, as he acknowledged Dorme.

"Night, Ani! Wuv -hic - you!," Padme told him happily, her speech still slurred, and he responded in kind, before she hung up the phone and re-joined the group. She danced for _hours_ with her friends _,_ letting herself relax and have fun for the first time in weeks – no, _months._ Padme couldn't remember the last time she'd had fun quite like this, out with her most precious friends, dancing like there wasn't a single care in the world. It felt _so_ good to let her hair down, and she was almost kind of glad she was here without Anakin. Sometimes, a girl just needed a night out with her girlfriends.

It was a little after 4 am when Tyler arrived to take both her and Dorme home, and Padme was insanely grateful for his kindness in making sure they both got home safely. Tyler even texted Anakin when he picked them up to let him know the girls were with him, and he was taking them home. Tyler gave Dorme a sweet, quick kiss as she slid into the front seat, and Padme eyed it fondly. They really were such a good couple together. He was the _best_ thing for Dorme. She would be forever grateful to her father for those _Celtics_ tickets, if nothing else but because she'd met Tyler that night. As Padme sat in the backseat, nursing her head against the window to keep it from spinning, her thoughts once again drifted off to Anakin, as they always did. She wondered if he was asleep, or if he was waiting up for her to text him and let him know she'd actually gotten home safe. Maybe he was at his own party – Rex and Cody tended to drag him from frat house to frat house nearly every night of the week, so she wouldn't be surprised if he was still out drinking himself.

Tyler parked in the visitor carpark at the back of their apartment building, and escorted them up through the back entrance and up the stairs to their apartment. "Happy Birthday, Padme," he said fondly with a bright smile, as he walked beside her, his hand on the small of Dorme's back.

"Thanks, Ty," she beamed back, before stumbling into him as she missed a step, clinging to his muscled forearm. The feel of it reminded her of her Ani, and she quickly pulled away and blushed as she remembered the feeling of his strong, muscular arms around her.

"Did you girls have a good time?"

"Hell – fucking – yeah!" Dorme cried out passionately, raising one arm in the air and tripping over, causing Tyler to quickly pull her into his chest.

"Shhh, Sweetheart, you'll wake up the entire building!" he whispered in her ear.

Dorme winked at him and bit her lip, her eyes dark and hooded with lust. "And, I'm not even naked.. _.yet,"_ she crooned seductively, running a sharp fingernail down his chest.

Swallowing uncomfortably at the _very_ private and intimate conversation happening between her best friend and her good friend, Padme quickly skipped up the remaining steps onto the landing and opened the front door, muttering, "I'm heading off to bed, see you two in the morning," under her breath.

She sprinted into her bedroom and shut the door, before flopping down and sprawling out on her bed, face up, with her feet hanging off the end. It took more energy than she wanted to admit to just to take her boots off, and once she'd discarded them, flinging them across the room, she lay back, breathless. The room was spinning around her, and she could hear the distinct moans of Dorme next door, coupled with deeper, more masculine groans that belonged to Tyler. Scrunching up her face, she rolled over to the side of her bed and reached for her phone to call Anakin. _If I'm not going to get any sleep with them making all this noise, I might as well not be alone._

He answered on the third ring, his voice heavy and thick with sleep, as he yawned into the speaker, _"What's up, Babe?"_

She could just picture him, his blonde curly hair messy and dishevelled, his eyes crinkled and face scrunched up as he slowly woke up. It was an adorable image. "I just wanted to hear you voice, Ani," she said with a smile. "I'm lonely, and I miss you."

" _I miss you too, Angel. Everyday."_

"I know," she whispered back, rolling back onto her back and looking up at the ceiling.

" _Did you have a good time tonight?"_

Nodding, Padme beamed. "Yeah! It was amazing! Sabe and Corde were there, too! It was so good to see them!"

" _That's great, Babe! It's been ages since you've seen them. I'm so happy you had a good night."_

"Yeah…" her voice trailed off sadly, and she sniffled – the alcohol making her emotional. "I just wish you'd been there, Ani. I wish you were here right now! I want you _so_ much."

Anakin groaned, his voice dripping with desire. _"I want you too, Angel. So goddamn much. That picture of you earlier...God, it got me so fucking hot!"_

"Wish you were here right now," she whined into the phone, clenching her thighs together in a pathetic attempt to keep her arousal at bay. "Wish you were…"

" _What, Angel?"_ Anakin asked eagerly. _"What do you wish I would do if I was there?"_

Biting her lip, Padme closed her eyes, "I'd want you to… undress me. Slowly. And…and lay on top of me… so I can feel you, feel _all_ of you against my skin. And, I'd run my hands through your hair and down you shoulders and back before grabbing your butt, and I'd – I'd kiss you everywhere, and you'd stroke my hair and whisper my name as you… as you – "

" _What?"_ Anakin growled desperately. _"As I'd what, Angel?"_

"SNORE…"

" _Angel? Can you hear me? Babe?"_

"SNORE..."

Padme didn't hear the soft laughter coming from her phone as Anakin whispered, " _I love you, Babe. Sleep well,"_ before hanging up.

When Padme woke up late the next morning, her head pounding and feeling a _whole lot_ older than 25, she glanced over at her phone and saw two messages waiting from Anakin. Thumbing them open, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as a picture of him filled her screen, of him lying naked, on his bed, a feral grin on his face, with his hard, erect penis in his hand. Beneath the image was a simple, sweet message:

 **Sweet dreams, Beautiful. You fell asleep before we could make things interesting. But don't worry… I'll make sure we finish what we started. Love you ;)**

Smiling and giddy with love, despite her hangover, she texted Anakin back: **Yes, we will, Baby. Again and again. Love you, too. ;)**

That done, Padme climbed out of bed and headed for the shower, happy, fulfilled, and so very much in love.


	44. Chapter 44

**_A/N: Hello and Happy Holidays my lovely readers! Boy, is it nice to be on Summer Break here in Australia! Of course, the weather isn't that nice. It's a whopping 31 degrees today (Celsius) and it's only going to get hotter here in the lead up to Christmas! Once again, I'm sorry for taking so long to update. But now that I'm on school holidays until late January, I should be able to pump out chapters a lot more frequently!_**

 ** _Also... HOW AMAZING WAS THE LAST JEDI! My boyfriend and I saw the Midnight Premiere here and woah! It's only reaffirmed what I already thought in The Force Awakens... Poe Dameron is a fucking babe. I'll ride his X-Wing any day ;) *swoons*..._**

 ** _Anyway, I hope you enjoy this_** ** _chapter! xx_**

* * *

 **The Girl From Harvard**

 **Chapter 44**

Padme was in the kitchen, washing up her dishes from her breakfast of blueberry pancakes and bacon, when Dorme let out a scream from behind her. Completely startled and worried that her best friend had hurt herself, Padme yelped and dropped her dishes in the sink with a clatter, and whipped around, to see Dorme standing in the living room, her eyes wide and mouth hanging open, holding a letter.

"What?!" Padme cried breathlessly, clutching her chest in fright. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Slowly lifting her head, Dorme faced her with this shocked look on her face, her eyes glazed over and a dopey grin now spreading on her face. "It's your graduation letter, P!" she said, excitedly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to open it. I thought it was for me."

" _WHAT?!"_ Padme shrieked, rushing forward and snatching the letter out of her hand. Her eyes quickly scanned the letter, which read…

 _Dear Ms Padme Naberrie,_

 _I am pleased to inform you that you have successfully completed all the requirements for your dual_ _Masters of Political Science and Communications_ degrees _, graduating class of 2017. Your graduation ceremony will commence at 2pm on Thursday, the 25_ _th_ _May, 2017. Academic gowns and trenchers are available for hire or for sale via the university website._

 _Congratulations are also in order for your appointment as_ _Class Valedictorian for 2017_ _. I commend you on your hard work and conscientious effort in achieving outstanding academic results, and welcome you warmly into the Harvard Alumni community._

 _Yours Faithfully,_

 _Dean Xiao-Li Meng_

 _Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences_

Her heart pounded in her chest, and the widest smile broke out on her face as sheer _relief_ and _joy_ overwhelmed her. She scanned the letter again and again, unable to believe that _this_ day had finally arrived. After three years of her undergrad degree, and four year of her masters, Padme was _finally_ ready to graduate. Tears welled in her eyes, as she lifted her head to see her roommate, who was grinning from ear to ear, just as happy for her as she was for herself. Suddenly, they embraced fiercely, each of them sobbing with happiness, and they began jumping up and down in celebration in the middle of their kitchen.

"Oh my god! Oh my god!," Padme cried out again and again. "I did it! I did it!"

Incredulous laughter bubbled forth from her lips, as Dorme released her, and she wiped her eyes, her cheeks practically _sore_ from smiling, but she just couldn't stop. Even though Padme had always _known_ this day would come eventually, the moment when she'd receive her graduation letter, it had always felt so far away – some distant future that she could see on the horizon but never thought she'd make it to. And, now she was here, the feeling was unbelievably hard to describe. All her hard work, all the tears, caffeine fuelled all-nighters and stress-induced breakdowns had all lead up to _this_ moment, and now she was _finally_ graduating, as _valedictorian_ nonetheless!

"Congratulations, P!," Dorme praised her warmly, tears of pride in her own brown eyes. "That's amazing! _And,_ you're Valedictorian, too! You deserve this _so_ much. You've worked so hard for this, and I'm – " she sniffed back tears and then laughed, "Look at me, blubbering like a fucking moron, and it's not even _me_ graduating!" Dorme shook her head and then stepped forward to hug Padme again.

"Thanks, Dorme," Padme laughed, hugging her best friend tightly. "And, _thank you_ for putting up with all my breakdowns. I might've died - more than once - if it wasn't for _you._ "

With a dramatic groan, Dorme rolled her eyes. "My god, you literally stress _way_ too much. There were times I just wanted to hit you over the head to knock you out so you'd calm down. I hope Anakin knows what he's getting into with you," she added with a smirk. "I'd be outta there quick smart if I were him."

Rolling her eyes, Padme shook her head. "Oh, shut up. I'm not _that_ bad."

"Mmm, yeah, _sure,_ " Dorme muttered under her breath, earning her a slap on the shoulder. "Alright, alright! I'm sorry," she surrendered, putting her hands up in the air. "Well, we _have_ to organise a post-grad party! I'm thinking cocktail style… at _Orchids,_ y'know, somewhere classy. And, we'll have champagne and caviar and all that miniature food that fancy people eat – " she began pacing back and forth, pulling out her phone and typing away frantically. "Oh! And we _have_ to go shopping for a dress! Something colourful. I mean, it's almost summer. A bright colour – maybe yellow or peach or even light blue? And…"

"Dorme! Please – we can organise all of this later!" she begged, beginning to feel her euphoric bubble disappearing at the thought of all that planning. "I wanna call my parents. And, Anakin."

With a knowing smile, Dorme nodded her head. "Of course! Leave it to _me_ – I'll get _everything_ sorted toute de suite!"

Mouthing a quick _'thank you',_ Padme hurried off into her bedroom, shut the door, and lay down on her stomach on her bed. The first person she called was her father. She couldn't _wait_ to tell him the news – especially the fact that she'd been selected as Valedictorian! He'd be _so_ proud of her, and it was something Padme had been wanting her entire life – her father's praise.

" _Good morning, Sweetheart_ ," Ruwee answered the phone brightly. " _Isn't this a nice surprise. How are you?"_

Unable to keep in her news through small talk, Padme burst out excitedly, " _Dad! I'm Valedictorian!"_

There was silence for a moment, before a soft, deep chuckle rumbled through the phone. _"I know, Sweetheart,"_ he said kindly. " _I was informed as soon as they'd made the decision. They wanted to make sure it wasn't a conflict of interest, seeing as I'm an associate professor here. Do you know how hard it was to keep this a secret for so long?! I wanted to tell you as soon as I found out! I'm so proud of you, Padme."_ His voice cracked on her name, and Padme realised that he was crying. She couldn't recall a time when she'd ever seen or heard her father cry - not even when her parents divorced, and the sound was so beautiful, that soon, Padme's own eyes were filled with tears.

" _My baby girl, Valedictorian! I'm the luckiest, proudest father in the entire world to have such a wonderful, intelligent, hardworking, and passionate daughter. Y-you… you and your sister make me so proud. I'm blessed – truly blessed."_

"Aw, Dad!" Padme sobbed happily. "Thank you so much – for pushing me and encouraging me to aim high and never give up. I couldn't have done this without you."

" _Don't thank me, Sweetheart,"_ Ruwee assured her. _"It was all you. Your hard work and your dedication to your studies has finally paid off. I'm so proud of you."_

"Thanks, Dad," she said again, completely sincere and grateful.

" _You should ring your mother. She'll be delighted with the news! It was a nightmare trying to keep it a secret from her – you know how persistent she can be."_ He chuckled, and Padme smirked at the thought of her father trying to lie his way out of Jobal's questions.

"Yeah, I will. Right now."

" _Okay, Sweetheart. I love you, and I can't wait to see you for your graduation."_

"I love you too, Dad. Bye." Padme hung up the phone and wiped her eyes, feeling prouder than ever that after _all_ these years, she had finally gotten her father's much longed for approval.

The conversation with Jobal was very short indeed. But just as joyous. As soon as Padme had called her and announced the news, her mother had shrieked with glee and started sobbing rather loudly, praising Padme over and over again and telling her how 'proud she was'. After several minutes of consistent crying, Jobal finally pulled herself together and informed Padme that she would have to buy a new dress to wear to the graduation.

By the time it came to finally call Anakin and share the news, Padme's cheeks were stained wet from happiness and her smile was brighter than ever. At this moment in her life, Padme felt like she was floating on cloud nine. _Everything_ she had worked so hard for had finally fallen into place, and she couldn't wait to share her joy and excitement with the love of her life.

" _Hey, Beautiful,"_ Anakin's warm husky voice answered the phone call, spreading heat right through to her very core at the sound. Anytime he called her an endearing nickname, she couldn't help but feel giddy with happiness, reverting back to her blushing schoolgirl days. _"How are you?"_

"Hey, Ani," she responded, her voice trembling with excitement. "I'm great. _Wonderful,_ actually! How are you?"

His low, warm, rumbling laughter shot through her ear as he chuckled at her response. _"I'm alright, Angel. Nothing new to report here. Just missing you."_ She smiled at his remark, understanding how much he missed her, for she missed him _just_ as much. _"But_ you _have something to report, I can tell."_

Giggling, Padme nodded her head furiously, even though Anakin _couldn't_ see her, unable to keep from grinning widely as she announced, "Ani, I did it! I got my graduation letter today...and I'm Valedictorian!"

" _That's amazing, Babe! I'm so fucking proud of you. You deserve it – you've worked so hard!"_

She beamed at his words of pride. "Thank you, Baby. I can't believe it, to be honest!"

" _I can,_ " Anakin remarked somewhat cockily. _"You're one truly brilliant woman, Angel! They'd be stupid_ not _to give it to you."_

She rolled her eyes at his comment, but laughed all the same. "I'm not all _that_ brilliant…" she started to rebut, when Anakin interrupted her.

" _Yes, you_ are _, Padme Naberrie!"_ he growled fiercely. _"You're so intelligent, compassionate, hardworking, selfless, dedicated… and not to mention you're breathtakingly gorgeous to boot."_

"I don't think they take looks into account when choosing the Valedictorian, Anakin," she laughed, shaking her head.

" _No, but_ _ **I**_ _still wanted to remind you of how incredible you are. I love you so much, Angel. More than anything else in the world."_

For the fourth time that day, Padme felt tears spring up in her eyes once more. "I love you too, Ani. Always."

They shared a blissful moment of silence, letting their words of love rush over each other and seep into their skin. The few weeks leading up to the day when Padme handed in her final thesis, communication with Anakin had been at an all time low. She was far too busy and stressed out to really have a proper conversation with him, and he respected that – being busy with his own final exams for the year. This was one of the longest conversations they'd had in _weeks,_ and Padme wasn't going to let it go to waste.

" _So, when is your graduation? I take it, I'm invited, yeah?"_ He added cheekily, causing Padme to roll her eyes.

"Of _course,_ you're invited. It's on the 25th of May. At 2pm. I think Dorme is arranging some sort of after party or something as well."

" _Well, I'll be there, Angel! I wouldn't miss it for the world!"_ He paused for a moment, then asked sheepishly, _"Will I have to wear my navy suit?"_

Padme laughed. "Yes! Suit and tie. It's a formal occasion, Ani."

He groaned dramatically through the phone. _"Oh, alright. I'll do it for_ you _, Babe. Only because I love you though."_

She giggled at him. "Stop being such a drama king. I like it when you wear your navy suit. You look very… _sexy and hot._ "

" _Well, in that case, I'll wear it all the damn time,"_ he growled, and Padme could hear the blatant desire that laced his voice. It made her eyelids flutter and her thighs squeeze together, and she couldn't help giggling. She couldn't deny that she had missed him since coming back from Owen's wedding in March…Had missed the feel of his lips softly caressing the skin of her neck, his calloused hands sliding down the curves of her body, the weight of him above her pushing her down into the mattress, the feel of him hard, hot and _deep_ inside her, stretching her like no other man _ever_ could… She exhaled deeply, trying to keep her control.

"Mmm…" she sighed softly. "I'd like that, Ani."

" _Fuck…I've missed you, Angel. Two months away from you is two months too long."_

"I know, Baby, I know," she soothed him. "But, we'll be together soon. Just a couple more weeks. Then, once grad is over, I'm on holidays and you'll be done with school for the year. We can do whatever we like… go wherever we want maybe. Would you like that, Ani? Take a trip somewhere together maybe?"

" _That sounds perfect, Angel. I have to go to class now, but I'll talk to you tonight, okay Babe? I love you so much! And, hey, let's plan for an...extended Skype session tonight to celebrate. Sound good?"_

Padme couldn't help the blush that swept her cheeks...or the giggle at the clear arousal she could hear in Anakin's voice. He also chuckled darkly and suggestively, making her blush even more. She couldn't wait, and knew exactly what she was going to wear for their 'Skype date' too… that lacy black teddy that she knew he loved so much… and loved tearing it off her even more.

"Ok. It's a date, Baby! And, I love you, too. See you tonight, Ani! Bye!"

He hung up after blowing her a kiss, and Padme slumped back down on her bed. Two weeks. Two weeks and then she could _finally_ be with Anakin… _properly…_ without her studies or distance keeping them apart. They could celebrate her life's biggest achievement thus far together with her friends and family, and then they could have their own _private_ celebration later that night. With that in mind, she was going to need more than just a new dress for graduation. She was going to need something that would _really_ blow Anakin's mind for that night. _Hmmm._

Smiling wickedly to herself, Padme decided today was the absolute _perfect_ day for her and Dorme to go do some.. _.intimate_ shopping.

And that was a _most_ exciting thought indeed.


End file.
